The Southern Seed Exchange was founded in 1992 with the aim to preserve plant seeds threatened by extinction.

Traditionally seed growing was in the hands of farmers and gardeners, but with the growth of large seed supply companies with their emphasis on regular shape, size, colour and transportability, many of the traditional old varieties were lost. A staggering 90% of seed varieties are estimated to have been lost in the last 120 years.

The Seed Exchange aimed to preserve as many of the old varieties as possible and make them available to home gardeners. Seed would be local cultivars i.e. grown to the local conditions, or heritage or heirloom cultivars or seed that is no longer available commercially or seed which has been saved in a family for a number of generations.