Ol Hero blong VARTC
For more than sixty years, people have given their careers to Saraoutou. Long-serving staff are national heroes. This is where we say tank yu tumas — and inspire the next generation.
Dr Vincent Lebot
CIRAD scientist · head of the CIRAD-VARTC root-crops improvement programme since 1998
- Began working on tropical root crops in 1981 while teaching agriculture in Vanuatu.
- Led root-crops improvement at VARTC from 1998; his CIRAD-VARTC publications run from 1999 to 2024.
- Scientific coordinator of TAROGEN (SPC, 1998, with P. Cabalion), Kava: the Pacific Drug (Yale, 1992) and Tropical Root and Tuber Crops (CABI 2009, 2nd ed. 2020).
- David Fairchild Medal for Plant Exploration (2003) and the PNAS Cozzarelli Prize (2013).
- Directed seven PhDs, including Roger Malapa — the first ni-Vanuatu PhD in science — and supervised Marie Melteras's MSc.
"You can reach the highest degree in science." — Vincent Lebot, in tribute to Dr Roger Malapa (2017)
Students he directed or supervised: Dr Roger Malapa · Marie Melteras (MSc) · José Quero-Garcia · Julie Sardos · Caroline Roullier · Patricia Siméoni · Sophie Caillon (co-supervised)
IRHO & early CIRAD
The founders of the coconut station and the cattle-under-coconut system. 1962 – 1993
R. Manciet
IRHO livestock and coconut researcher. Started the Charolais absorption-crossbreeding programme at Saraoutou in April 1967 and early livestock-under-coconut work.
Claude-Henri Calvez
Agronomist, IRHO Saraoutou. Led the station and authored the landmark 1985 review of coconut improvement in Vanuatu.
J.M. Coulon & M.-P. Chazal
Agronomists, IRHO Saraoutou. Wrote the 15-year review showing that Charolais crosses raise coconut-grove productivity by about 15%.
Jean-François Julia
Entomologist, IRHO-CIRAD Saraoutou. Studied coconut foliar decay and its vector Myndus taffini; coconut hybrid testing.
Michel de Nucé de Lamothe
Head of IRHO-CIRAD Coconut Division. Steered the coconut hybrid programme; co-author of the 1985 Saraoutou review.
The CIRAD-mandate years
Partner scientists who built VARTC's research reputation. 1984 – 2002 and after
Jean-Pierre Labouisse
Coconut scientist, CIRAD. Leader of the 1962–2002 coconut achievements overview; built up local coconut collections.
Jean-Paul Morin
Entomologist (VARTC-affiliated). Coconut pests and foliar-decay research.
Patricia Siméoni
VARTC-PRODIG, Luganville. PhD on the geography of kava quality.
Sophie Caillon
CIRAD, via CARFV Santo. Co-authored taro on Vanua Lava.
Olivier Roupsard
CIRAD ecophysiologist. World-class long-term coconut carbon and water studies at Saraoutou with VARTC staff.
National scientists & leaders
The first generations of ni-Vanuatu researchers and leaders of the statutory Centre. 2003 – 2023
Dr Roger Malapa
First ni-Vanuatu PhD in science. Bred hybrid yams 'Dr Roger', 'White Waelu' and 'Jerome'. The hybrid 'Dr Roger' carries his name.
Tiata Sileye
Coconut research. Head of Cocoa/Coffee. Acting CEO (2015). Coconut achievements paper; collected and characterised local coconut populations.
Serge Tabiaga
Research technician. Coconut carbon/water flux and taro flowering studies.
Isaac Jimmy
Research technician. Coconut agronomy and ecophysiology.
Serving today & the next generation
Today's leaders and the new generation of VARTC scientists. 2023 – now
Steglar Tabiaga
Head of Livestock (2023). CEO (2025). Co-author of the ACIAR beef cattle project; now leads the Centre.
Floriane Lawac
Head of Root & Tuber Crops. Leads root-crop genetic resources conservation, Root Crops Division. Manager during the post-Harold recollection (2020).
Juliane Kaoh
Root crops field supervisor. Co-author of VARTC root-crop genetic resources papers, 2017–2026.
Benonny Bulememe
Researcher — new generation. Breadfruit genetic resources research.
Field, farm & support heroes
The people who keep the station running. Names and roles from the 2016 organisation chart. [TO CONFIRM with VARTC HR] — ideal subjects for Bislama oral-history recordings.
Community & scientists heroes
Farmers and scientists whose names now grow in gardens across Vanuatu.
White Sailas
Santo champion farmer. The hybrid yam 'White Waelu' is named after him; in July 2019 he harvested 20 tonnes of yams, about half White Waelu.
Chief Jerome Natu
Santo. The hybrid yam 'Jerome' honours him.
Dr Roger Malapa
The hybrid wailu 'Dr Roger', launched in 2017 at the Penama yam festival.
Nominate a hero
Know someone who gave years to VARTC — a scientist, a field hand, a mechanic, a farmer partner? Staff, families and communities can nominate them. We especially want to fill the gaps: IRHO-era and CIRAD-mandate directors, and the first CEOs from 2003 to 2011.
Sources on this page
- Lebot CV (ISRC 2013)
- SPC, Jan 2020 — Pacific Seeds for Life: yam breeding in Vanuatu
- CIRAD-VARTC — A compendium of knowledge on tropical roots and tubers
- Cook Islands News (via RNZI), 14 Feb 2017
- Coulon, Chazal & Calvez, IRHO Saraoutou cattle-under-coconut review
- Calvez, Julia & de Nucé 1985, Oléagineux 40
- Labouisse et al. 2004, OCL — coconut improvement in Vanuatu 1962–2002
- Labouisse & Caillon 2001, OCL 8(5)
- Vanuatu Daily Post, 28 Jun 2017 — hybrid yam named after late Dr Roger