Bent Skovmand
Encyclopedia
Sir Bent Skovmand was a Danish plant scientist and conservationist
. Time Magazine wrote in 1991 that Skovmand, "'while not exactly a household name,' had had 'more to do with the welfare of the world's five billion people than many heads of state.'"
Skovmand was born in Frederiksberg
, Denmark
. After serving in the Danish Army, Skovmand attended the University of Minnesota
in the US as part of the Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee international exchange program. He graduated in 1971 with a major in biological and physical sciences in agriculture, and then earned his masters in 1973 and doctorate in 1976 from Minnesota
After completing his doctorate, he joined the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
in El Batán, Mexico
, where he studied older seed strains
and genetic variation
among widespread strains. He also worked with governments and farmers across the world to increase the use of the advanced crops being developed.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
in 2003.
Continuing his work on preserving the genetic diversity
among wheat
s, barley
s, and oats
, he was appointed the director of the Nordic Gene Bank, based in Alnarp
, Sweden
, in 2003, and founded the Svalbard International Seed Vault. The Seed Vault, also called the "Doomsday Vault", is supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust
and aims to preserve "the raw material of agriculture" to make it available for breeding and research even in the advent of disaster, war, or climate change. The Vault was scheduled to open in late 2008.
Skovmand was opposed to patent
ing individual gene
s, describing it as "like copyrighting each and every word in Hamlet, and saying no one can use any word used in Hamlet without paying the author". He routinely released his catalogs of agricultural information on CDs, which he gave away for free, never attempting to patent the work. In his work with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Skovmand set up collaborations with for-profit companies to develop improved strains of agricultural staples, with the proviso that patents not be used in developing nations.
Skovmand had four children, two with his wife Eugenia, and two by a previous marriage. Skovmand fell ill in January 2007, and died February 6, 2007, at age 62 in Kavlinge, Sweden, from complications from a malignant brain tumour.
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
. Time Magazine wrote in 1991 that Skovmand, "'while not exactly a household name,' had had 'more to do with the welfare of the world's five billion people than many heads of state.'"
Skovmand was born in Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg
Frederiksberg Kommune is a municipality on the island of Zealand in Denmark. It surrounded by the city of Copenhagen. The municipality, co-extensive with its seat, covers an area of and has a total population of 98,782 making it the smallest municipality in Denmark area-wise, the fifth most...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. After serving in the Danish Army, Skovmand attended the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
in the US as part of the Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee international exchange program. He graduated in 1971 with a major in biological and physical sciences in agriculture, and then earned his masters in 1973 and doctorate in 1976 from Minnesota
After completing his doctorate, he joined the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center is a non-profit research and training institution dedicated to both the development of improved varieties of wheat and maize, and introducing improved agricultural practices to farmers, thereby improving their...
in El Batán, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, where he studied older seed strains
Strain (biology)
In biology, a strain is a low-level taxonomic rank used in three related ways.-Microbiology and virology:A strain is a genetic variant or subtype of a micro-organism . For example, a "flu strain" is a certain biological form of the influenza or "flu" virus...
and genetic variation
Genetic variation
Genetic variation, variation in alleles of genes, occurs both within and among populations. Genetic variation is important because it provides the “raw material” for natural selection. Genetic variation is brought about by mutation, a change in a chemical structure of a gene. Polyploidy is an...
among widespread strains. He also worked with governments and farmers across the world to increase the use of the advanced crops being developed.
He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
in 2003.
Continuing his work on preserving the genetic diversity
Genetic diversity
Genetic diversity, the level of biodiversity, refers to the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. It is distinguished from genetic variability, which describes the tendency of genetic characteristics to vary....
among wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
s, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
s, and oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
, he was appointed the director of the Nordic Gene Bank, based in Alnarp
Alnarp
Alnarp is a village and university campus in Lomma Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden, lying between Lund and Malmö.The estate of Alnarp dates back to 1325, and became the official residence of the governor-general of Scania in 1674...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, in 2003, and founded the Svalbard International Seed Vault. The Seed Vault, also called the "Doomsday Vault", is supported by the Global Crop Diversity Trust
Global Crop Diversity Trust
Global Crop Diversity Trust is an independent international organization which exists to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide...
and aims to preserve "the raw material of agriculture" to make it available for breeding and research even in the advent of disaster, war, or climate change. The Vault was scheduled to open in late 2008.
Skovmand was opposed to patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
ing individual gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
s, describing it as "like copyrighting each and every word in Hamlet, and saying no one can use any word used in Hamlet without paying the author". He routinely released his catalogs of agricultural information on CDs, which he gave away for free, never attempting to patent the work. In his work with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Skovmand set up collaborations with for-profit companies to develop improved strains of agricultural staples, with the proviso that patents not be used in developing nations.
Skovmand had four children, two with his wife Eugenia, and two by a previous marriage. Skovmand fell ill in January 2007, and died February 6, 2007, at age 62 in Kavlinge, Sweden, from complications from a malignant brain tumour.