A germplasm bank or seed bank is a repository where the seeds and hereditary material of plant varieties are preserved to protect their distinct genetic makeup. Sheinbaum’s plan is to fortify the existing corn germplasm bank system to safeguard all 64 varieties existing in Mexico, 59 of which are native. Those varieties of corn (or maize in English and maíz in Spanish) are considered vital to Mexico’s food security as well as its cultural identity. The germplasm bank is part of a larger agricultural program dubbed Sin maíz no hay país (Without corn there is no country), which aims to support corn producers. He explained that germplasm banks play a crucial role in safeguarding Mexico’s existing genetic resources, as they ensure agri-food sovereignty.