Operation Seed Saving: National Taiwan Museum’s “Food Ark” Special Exhibition
Last updated 2026-09-24 — Don’t assume that Taiwan’s advanced agricultural technology and abundant produce mean there’s no risk of a food crisis. In fact, Taiwan’s food self-sufficiency rate has been declining year by year, currently standing at only about 32%, leaving us constantly at risk of food shortages. The “Food Ark” special exhibition (…
Text by MOOK Scenic Spots Family Travel Life Network, compiled and reported by Li Meixx
Don’t assume that Taiwan’s advanced agricultural technology and abundant produce mean there’s no risk of a food crisis. In fact, Taiwan’s food self-sufficiency rate has been declining year by year, currently standing at only about 32%, leaving us constantly at risk of food shortages. The “Food Ark” special exhibition (Food Ark), on display at the National Taiwan Museum from March 12 to September 22, centers around the theme “Food knows no borders — where will our future food come from?” It introduces the seed preservation methods of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault and Taiwan’s Genetic Resources Center, explaining their mission to collect and preserve seeds of food crops. The exhibition showcases various types of storage facilities and materials, as well as living specimens of non-seed-propagated crops, offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of germplasm conservation and utilization in Taiwan.
The National Taiwan Museum is exhibiting the “Food Ark” special exhibition from March 12 to September 22. (Photo provided by National Taiwan Museum)
Due to climate anomalies and water resource issues, a global food crisis could arrive sooner than expected. Aside from rice, Taiwan relies almost entirely on imports for the rest of its food supply, making the issue of food security impossible to ignore. In the event of a food crisis, countries may ban food exports, leaving no amount of money able to secure supplies. Many nations are now establishing seed conservation centers or seed banks to safeguard plant seeds, ensuring humanity’s future food supply. The main task of Taiwan’s Crop Genetic Resources Center is also to collect and preserve the nation’s valuable germplasm resources, launching an all-out “Operation Seed Saving.”
Tissue culture lab featured in the Food Ark special exhibition. (Photo provided by National Taiwan Museum)
The exhibition introduces the major methods of germplasm conservation, focusing on two main goals: “germplasm preservation” and “breeding.” “Germplasm preservation” is tasked with collecting and safeguarding existing plant seeds for future needs, while “breeding” involves cultivating new varieties that meet specific requirements through genetic screening or genetic modification. These are further divided into “in-situ preservation” and “ex-situ preservation”: “in-situ preservation” means conserving seeds within farming environments — preserving the germplasm in its original growing and survival conditions. Crop genetic resource banks, on the other hand, are “ex-situ preservation” efforts that gather germplasm from various regions and store them in a designated location. Both approaches complement each other and are essential methods of germplasm conservation. For more details, visit the official website: www.ntm.gov.tw.
● Read more: Embrace the White Sea of Flowers – The Calla Lily Exhibition at Zhuzihu Smiles Brightly
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