Global seed vault ‘father’ joins State Department as food security envoy

Cary Fowler, known as the “father” of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, was announced Thursday as the food security envoy for the State Department.

A statement from the department said the noted agriculturalist will be the U.S. special envoy for global food security, charged with working with allies and partners to tackle food shortages in the U.S. and around the world.

Fowler’s experience includes working at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

Fowler is beginning his new role as food insecurity is increasingly threatened by climate change, as well as the ongoing impacts of COVID-19 and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Groups working on global food security have said the war in Ukraine is expected to have far-reaching impacts on hunger, as the country is known as the breadbasket of Europe for its wheat and grain exports, which supply many countries in Africa and the Middle East.

“The war in Ukraine is supercharging a three-dimensional crisis — food, energy and finance — with devastating impacts on the world’s most vulnerable people, countries and economies,” United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said.

Fowler will also fill the role of deputy coordinator for diplomacy under the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Feed the Future initiative.

“I will count on Dr. Fowler’s strategic vision and advice as we advance efforts with the international community to address the many challenges to global food security, nutrition, and food systems,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

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