VARTCVanuatu Agricultural Research & Technical Centre
Cattle on open pasture with a sea view at the Saraoutou station
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Loa mo gavman blong VARTC

Charter & governance

VARTC is a statutory body created by the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre Act [CAP 286] — Act 15 of 2002, in force since 1 January 2003.

Photo: VARTC (2016 website)
The charter

The VARTC Act

“An Act to establish the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre; to provide for its constitution, functions and powers; and for related purposes.”
— Long title, Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre Act [CAP 286][1]

Act 15 of 2002; commenced 1 January 2003.[5] It is published in the Laws of the Republic of Vanuatu, Consolidated Edition 2006 (Chapter 286).[6]

Amended by the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre (Amendment) Act No. 9 of 2008 — assented 11 June 2008, commenced 7 July 2008; replaced the list of appointed Board members (section 19(3)).[7][8]

Section 3

Functions of the Centre, in the words of the Act

The Act lists eight functions. The Centre must treat (a) research and development and (b) getting research results used as its primary functions, and the rest as secondary (s.3(2)).[1]

    Powers

    What the Act lets VARTC do

    Structure

    Who runs VARTC

    Board members under the 2008 amendment

    The Chief Executive, plus part-time members the Minister may appoint:[7]

      A note on the Director General

      Our working notes listed the Director General as a Board member. The original 2002 text listed “the Director-General of each of the Ministries responsible for finance, agriculture and commerce”;[1] the 2008 amendment replaced that list and does not name a Director General.[7] The Director General attended the 2025 annual-report handover.[2] Current membership [TO CONFIRM].

      Current Board members

      Names other than the Chair [TO CONFIRM — VARTC to supply].

      Plans & reports

      Strategic plans and annual reports

      The Board must prepare strategic plans (s.25) and annual operational plans (s.26), the Centre must follow them (s.27), and an annual report goes to the Minister by 31 March each year (s.30).[1]

      Reform

      Reviewing the Act

      At the 2023 Strategic Plan launch the Minister said one of his priority directives was to amend the VARTC Act, covering genetic resources, sharing research with farmers and fishers, protection from pests and disease, custom and traditional knowledge, intellectual property and a future VARTC office in Port Vila.[4] In June 2024 VARTC consulted stakeholders on a policy paper for the review and on a National Productive Sector Research Council.[3] Status of the amendment [TO CONFIRM].

      Read the law

      Links only. Vanuatu legislation is not rehosted on this site.

      Sources on this page

      Markers [n] refer to these.

      1. VARTC Act [CAP 286], Laws of the Republic of Vanuatu, Consolidated Edition 2006 (FAOLEX PDF)
      2. MALFFB news, 1 Apr 2025 — VARTC Annual Report 2024
      3. Vanuatu Daily Post, 4 Jun 2024 — VARTC consults stakeholders on reform
      4. Vanuatu Daily Post, 15 Jul 2023 — First VARTC Strategic Plan launched
      5. VARTC Act [CAP 286], WIPO Lex
      6. PacLII — Vanuatu Consolidated Legislation 2006, alphabetical table (Cap. 286)
      7. VARTC (Amendment) Act No. 9 of 2008, FAOLEX
      8. UNEP LEAP / FAOLEX summary of the VARTC Act (Cap. 286)
      9. VARTC website, Functions (2016)