Michel and Jude Fanton

About the Seed Savers Network

OUR AIMS
The Seed Savers' Network has the following charitable and educational purposes in its deeds...

To develop and promote:

• Educational programmes for the preservation of open-pollinated (non-hybrid) seeds and the genetic diversity of plant varieties;
• Non-profit seed exchange programmes;
• Agricultural and horticultural programmes with particular emphasis on the propagation of open-pollinated plant varieties;
• Preservation gardens for open-pollinated plant varieties;
• Seed banks for non-hybrid plant varieties;
• Scientific research relating to the above matters, either alone or in conjunction with a public university or other institution.

To Provide:

• Financial and educational assistance to community development projects - local and overseas;
• Open-pollinated seed stock to individuals, groups and communities.

[ Get Involved ][Contact Details ]

OUR STORY SO FAR

The Seed Savers' Network was founded in 1986 to preserve the diversity of our cultural plants. Our activities include a newsletter, seed exchange, seed bank, frequent events and workshops and the publication of a best selling handbook on the subject in Australia. A version for cold climates is currently being published in the UK.

Our work is funded solely by our subscribers. We function on very limited resources, with the help of many volunteers.

Some of our achievements

• We have had over 5,500 varieties come through our seed bank;
• Over 10,000 people have been directly involved with Seed Savers;
• 20,000 sample packets of original seeds are made up each year by volunteers from the Tamborine Mountain Seed Savers' group for us to give away. Banora Point Garden Club near Tweed Heads began packing seeds too in March 1997;
• 23,000 copies of The Seed Savers' Handbook sold in the first ten years
• Over 1,300 varieties of seeds and other planting materials are offered in our Spring newsletters;
• Seed Savers' has helped to establish Seed Networks in a number of other countries such as Cambodia, East Timor, Ecuador, India, Japan, Solomon Islands and The Philippines.