While restrictive seed laws threaten farmer-managed seed systems worldwide, several countries in the Agroecology Coalition are charting a different path – one that recognizes seeds as the foundation of resilient, agroecological food systems. From Tanzania’s groundbreaking National Ecological Organic Agriculture Strategy to Burkina Faso’s explicit inclusion of farmer seeds in national policy, these examples demonstrate that protecting farmers’ rights to seeds is not only possible but essential for food sovereignty and climate resilience.