Wars destroy lives, communities, cultural artifacts, historical heritage and biodiversity. For the second time in less than a century, individuals committed to preserving cultivated biodiversity have displayed heroic courage to save a seed bank from the ravages of war. The International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Aleppo, Syria, is one of 11 international genebanks charged with conserving the world’s most vital crops and their wild relatives. Through thoughtful advanced planning and sheer bravery, its staff has successfully managed over the past four years to create backups of its seed collection, disseminating the samples in various safe havens around the world, including in Turkey, Norway, Morocco and Mexico. A fascinating account.
Seed bank devoted to cultivated biodiversity in dry areas saved from destruction in Syria
More of Today's Solutions
Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation regains ancestral lands near Yosemite in major c...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Nearly 900 acres of ancestral territory have been officially returned to the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, marking a ...
Read More8 fermented foods that your gut will love (and that taste great, too!)
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Fermented foods have been a dietary staple in many cultures for centuries, but in the U.S., they’re only ...
Read MoreBreaking the silence: empowering menopausal women in the workplace
Addressing menopause in the workplace is long overdue in today's fast-changing work scene, where many are extending their careers into their 60s. According to ...
Read MoreInsect migration: the hidden superhighway of the Pyrenees
Insects, while frequently disregarded, are critical to the planet's ecosystems. They make up about 90 percent of all animal species and play important functions ...
Read More
