Admnistrative and Financial Department (AFD)

In charge of general administration, preparation and execution of the budget, personnel and IT unit management;

Aids and monitoring Department (AMD)

In charge of investigating aids applications for development of vanilla for vanilla producers and ensures that use of granted aids comply with objectives given in the attributive decision of the aid. This department is in charge of production data collection by extension people based in Etablissement's antennas enabling therefore and monitor state of Tahitian Vanilla beans plantation parcels.

Research and Development Department (RDD)

The research and development department is based in the island of Raiatea. It has one laboratory located in Uturoa (Island of Raiatea) and shade structures in Uturoa and Hamoa. The research and development department targets improvement of the Tahitian vanilla quality by improving planting techniques, cultivars' improvement, improvement of curing and conservation of vanilla beans. Therefore, it intervenes in Tahitian vanilla characterization (aromatic, lipidic and genetic composition), Polynesian vanilla plants diversity conservation, best species creation and selection (yield, less prone to diseases) as well as in multiplication by in vitro culture.

Improvement of cultivation techniques

Vanilla beans cultivation is subjected to various pathogens (virus, mushrooms, insects). RDD studies what causes fungal diseases development in sun shade structures to provide producers cultivation techniques adapted to their environment. RDD also studies the effect land and compost may have on the aromatic composition of beans.

 

 

Quality improvement

Thesis work made by Miss Christel Brunschwig of Etablissement Vanille de Tahiti at the University of French Polynesia have enabled for the first time characterization of the Tahitian vanilla quality by combining chemical and sensorial analysis. Research on evolution of different parameters during curing led to define an optimum humidity rate of development of sensory properties of the Tahitian vanilla. This work proceeds with the study of different conservation techniques to validate the beans' optimum humidity rate.

 

Sanitary control department (SCD)

Tahitian vanilla beans may be infected by fungal and viral diseases. The latter pose a serious risk for the sustainable development of this production, because they are incurable. Insects and other pests may attack the vanilla. Sanitary control department (SCD) is part of the Laboratory of Etablissement Vanille de Tahiti, located in the island of Raiatea. Its main mission is to maintain vanilla production, in protecting cultivations against diseases and pests.

Resources deployed are:

• Sanitary monitoring of nurseries producing vanilla plants;
• Supply of healthy vanilla grafts;
• Sanitary monitoring of all vanilla plantations;
• Pathological studies of the vanilla plant and control methods;
• Training of producers on vanilla plants diseases and pests.

Since Etablissement Vanille de Tahiti was created, about 7,000 m² of nurseries producing vanilla grafts have been set up: 3,700 m² in the island of Raiatea, 2,300 m² in the island of Tahaa and 1,000 m² in Huahine. Over 3,000 mother-plants have been cultivated in controlled conditions: under-shade plantation and insect-proof canvas, compost intake, cultivation techniques mastering, respect of sanitary requirements. In addition to grafts producing nurseries, the laboratory of Etablissement has 4 other experimental plantations (2,280 m²) in Raiatea.SCD is responsible for the implementation of the Sanitary Certification program of its nurseries. That is how Etablissement garantees to applicant producers, quality vanilla plant grafts, that are free of any virus or disease. This system reduces the spread of diseases.

• Health monitoring

Fare Vanira ensure health monitoring of plantations. It consists in regularly visiting and train producers and monitor apparition of different diseases and pest that may spread to the vanilla plant. A Diagnosis-Council service is offered. After a sanitary problem, a producer may ask SCD to make a diagnosis of the plantation. However it is advised to apply for this service once a year, to know the sanitary health of the plantation and indirectly, to judge quality of its maintenance.
Samples may be collected for a better expertise in laboratory. Etablissement Vanille de Tahiti has viral, fungal diseases and pests detection tools. It will recommend the planter adapted control methods according to diagnosis results. On the long run, this activity will allow the department to turn the Health monitoring, a surveillance work targeting apparition of new pathogens or other enemies. In addition, it allows improvement of known diseases: their developing factors, distribution, conservation mode and evolution. Target is to improve cultivation techniques and find the best control methods.

• Research on the pathologies of the vanilla plant.

The main damages (reduced yields, death of plants) observed on vanilla plants are due to phytopathogenic mushrooms. A fungal diagnosis service is offered allowing implementation of effective control mediums against the identified pathogenic agent. There are further studies on fungal diseases to avoid reduced yields such as those in other countries (Madagascar or Réunion) especially with Fusariosis (diseases form Fusarium sp. mushroom).

• Training of producers on diseases, pests of the Vanilla plant

Technical sheets have been made and are regularly updated and given to producers. They concern such matters as viral, fungal diseases and mealy bugs.

Etablissement department:

• Fare vanira Tahiti/Moorea
• Fare vanira Huahine
• Fare vanira Raiatea
  Fare vanira Tahaa

These community bases antennas primary tasks is to supply producers with a technical support, collect data required to an agronomic monitoring of plantations, offer services to planters and assist monitoring committees during ripe vanilla beans sales. They are the primary interlocutors of Tahitian vanilla producers and work daily to train and improve producers' yields. They are also in charge of maintenance of lianas producing nurseries, experimental nurseries and under-shades structures with species' collections.