It is a fail-safe mechanism if ever the world runs out of food. Deep in the chilly icy Arctic is Svalbard Global Seed Vault, better known as 'Doomsday Vault', a storehouse for the world's seeds.

The vault has some strict policies when it comes to the kind of seeds that are acceptable - it should be natural - meaning GMO seeds are not welcome.

The vault is made to withstand earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, nuclear meltdowns, and its position on the mountain means that it'll always be above sea level, even if all the ice on Earth melted.

Other than preserving the genetic information needed to create the food, the vault also facilitates new plant breeding as the world faces challenges from war, climate change and population growth.

The vault, which acts as a bank for deposit and withdrawal of seeds, has so far only seen one withdrawal. From war hit Syria.

Around 38,000 seed samples, many ancient crop varieties unique to the Middle East, were withdrawn recently so that researchers with the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas in war-torn Aleppo can continue their study at new facilities in Lebanon and Morocco.

Those behind the seed vault concept say, this is exactly what their vision is, to act as the last resort, when the world runs out of food to eat.