Taiwan is to give samples of 170 millet species to the world’s “doomsday vault” in Svalbard, Norway, in case of extreme climate change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday.
A Taiwanese delegation is to travel to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the arctic circle to deliver the samples, the ministry said at a joint news conference in Taipei with National Central University’s Taiwan Polar Institute.
The millet seeds — the first of a series of crop seeds to be sent — would serve as a backup genetic resource to Taiwan’s domestic seed bank, the ministry said.
Photo: Chen Yi-kuan, Taipei Times
The project to preserve millet seeds at the Norway-owned genetic depository dubbed the “doomsday vault” marked a milestone in the nation’s efforts to promote international scientific cooperation and sustainable development, it said.
The vault is expected to receive the millet seed package on Wednesday next week, it said.
Millet is a staple for many indigenous Taiwanese cultures and features prominently in their rituals, said university president Jou Jing-yang (周景揚), who is expected to attend the event celebrating the seeds’ delivery.
The crop plays a key role in the nation’s food security and sustainable agriculture strategy against climate warming, Jou said.
Advances in technology and the economy would not change humanity’s need for food, said Lin Hsueh-shih (林學詩), director of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute.
The council of agriculture, the ministry’s predecessor, 31 years ago established a national seed bank to secure future generations’ food supply, Lin said, adding that the monthly electricity bill to operate it is NT$10 million (US$309,837).
In 2021, the UN named last year the International Year of Millets, recognizing that the staple’s resilience to droughts, floods and cold weather could be needed to deal with the implications of extreme climate change, he said.
Low water requirements, disease resistance, high nutritional value and not needing pesticides are among other qualities that make millet suitable for regions hard-struck by global warming, Lin said.
Making use of the seed bank in Norway means Taiwan would share the seeds with other nations in need, boosting sustainability globally, he added.
The Svalbard vault, which was built on Spitsbergen island in 2004, houses sample seeds for 4.5 million species of agricultural plants, the university said in a news release.
The island is the world’s northernmost permanent settlement, it added.
The vault, designed to survive an earthquake measuring 10 on the Richter scale and a nuclear explosion, is 2km from Taiwan’s artic station, it said.
Permafrost and modern facilities achieve cold storage at the seed bank, the university said.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
RSS