New African Society (NAS), a youth-led Sierra Leone-based organization, is working for the development of self-sufficient communities to alleviate generations of poverty within the country. The organization offers services that promote the advancement of agricultural projects within the region, seeking to remedy a lack of opportunity for socioeconomic mobility and food insecurity. Through ongoing engagement with community members, NAS began a seed banking initiative to help them work toward food sovereignty. Their training programs educate farmers on the value of seed banking, strengthening local understanding of seed systems, and helping producers establish independent seed banks in their own communities. Bangura views seed banking as a multi-layered strategy that increases equitable opportunities within agriculture while retaining cultural integrity. “Our seed aid program is directly involved in engaging producer groups, especially women who are the custodians of local seed breeding and conservation, to multiply varieties of foundation seeds including rice, ground nut, maize and others,” he tells Food Tank.