The location of The Global Seed Vault is no accident. Far from modern
dangers like war, demonstrations led by citizens unhappy with government
policies, and noticeable climate change, this place is perfect for protecting
plant material, which is disappearing daily on a global scale. And that
explains why it receives funds from international governments and private
organizations. The agriculture industry is high-tech, allowing large-scale crop
production; but today the U.S. has only 10% of the varieties of fruit and
vegetables it grew in the early 1900s, and China had 90% more rice choices
just seventy years ago. This lack of diversity means that disease or poor
weather conditions carry massive risks. This would be less shocking if we
weren't dependent on a limited number of types of crops.
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