The Svalbard Seed Vault serves as an insurance policy against worldwide hunger.
Constructed inside a mountain on a Norwegian island in the Arctic Circle, the vault can
preserve about 4.5 million different seed varieties. The black bins filling the vault contain
the seeds of many important foods, such as potatoes, beans, wheat, and corn. The
surrounding permafrost-covered mountain maintains the vault at a temperature of 0°F
and keeps it well above rising sea levels. This protects these seeds from famine, war,
climate change, or any other catastrophe that might eradicate food supplies. In such
emergencies, countries can regrow crops from the seeds there, restarting their food
production process.
Why does the author call the vault an insurance policy against worldwide hunger?
Those using the storage vault are required to make monthly payments.
The vault sends shipments of food to countries affected by catastrophe.
It contains the necessary seeds to replant crops destroyed by disaster.