فاس نيوز ميديا جريدة الكترونية جهوية تعنى بشؤون و أخبار جهة فاس مكناس – متجددة على مدار الساعة
A celebratory event took place today, Saturday, in the Idaougnidif commune of Taroudant province, commemorating the International Day of the Argan Tree, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021. This year’s event was held under the theme “The Argan Tree, a Lever for Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change,” reflecting the unique role of this tree in preserving biodiversity and supporting sustainable development.
The event, organized by the Mohammed VI Foundation for Research and Conservation of the Argan Tree, in partnership with UNESCO, aimed to highlight the importance of this natural wealth in sustainable local development, according to the organizers.
On this occasion, a special exhibition was held showcasing local women’s cooperatives active in the exploitation and valorization of argan oil and the development of production chains related to its products.
During the event, whose opening ceremony was attended by the Governor of Taroudant province, Mbarak Thabit, the Director General of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Research and Conservation of the Argan Tree, Katim Alaoui, provided an overview of the initiatives and measures taken at the conservation level to develop and structure the argan tree sector.
In a statement to the Moroccan News Agency (MAP), Ms. Alaoui explained that this meeting falls within the framework of a scientific and cultural project called “Alliance of Knowledge,” a concept that combines traditional women’s knowledge related to argan oil production with modern scientific knowledge, with the aim of producing knowledge that enhances the added value of this production chain.
She added that this initiative represents a proactive step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, by linking scientific research with local heritage knowledge and empowering Argan women with their economic and cultural rights.
For her part, the Head of the Science Sector at the UNESCO Rabat Office, Elsa Stuto, stated that the argan tree holds great environmental, economic, and social importance, particularly through the pivotal role played by women in preserving this tree and the sustainability of its products, foremost among which is argan oil.
She pointed out that women’s contribution in this field represents a pillar of local development and a source of strengthening their empowerment and their stay in their rural areas.
It is worth noting that the program of this two-day celebration includes scientific sessions with the participation of academic figures and experts in environment and development, and a meeting with young researchers from the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies in Taroudant, where they will present their innovations in the field of valorizing argan oil and its derivatives.
It is also worth mentioning that the opening of this celebration was attended, in addition to the Governor of the province, by the Vice-President of Ibn Zohr University in charge of Scientific Research and Cooperation, the Dean of the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies in Taroudant, the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences in Kenitra at Ibn Tofail University, the Regional Delegate of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Agadir, the Head of the Ouled Berhil district, the leader of the El Fiad leadership, the President of the Idaougnidif commune, the parliamentarians of the Northern Taroudant constituency, and a number of regional and national figures and activists, elected officials and heads of territorial communities in the Ouled Berhil district, and students and researchers from Ibn Zohr University and Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra.
