Mint explainer: Why is India setting up a second crop gene bank in Himachal’s Keylong?

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. India is planning a second national gene bank for crops in Keylong, Himachal Pradesh, as insurance against climate change, natural disasters and future food risks. The new facility will back up India’s vast plant genetic wealth and complement the country’s existing gene bank in New Delhi.

Mint explains why the new gene bank is needed, why Keylong was chosen, and how it could help farmers and scientists. A crop gene bank is a facility that conserves genetic material—such as seeds, pollen or tissue samples—from diverse plant species to protect them from extinction and preserve valuable traits for future use. Samples are collected from farmers’ fields, wild habitats and breeding programmes, and are evaluated based on distinctiveness, threat level and breeding value.

Stored under low temperatures and controlled humidity, many seeds can remain viable for decades or even longer. By safeguarding genetic diversity, gene banks reduce dependence on external seed sources and help countries respond to food crises, making agriculture more resilient and sustainable. India’s first National Gene Bank (NGB) was set up in 1996 at the ICAR–National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR) in New Delhi.

It is the world’s second-largest gene bank after the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway. As of 1 January, the gene bank holds over 4.74 lakh accessions spanning more than 2,000 species, including cereals, millets, legumes, oilseeds and vegetables. The facility is supported by 12 regional stations across the country that collect and conserve crop germplasm.