THE director of the World Health Organisation (WHO) office in New York, Werner Obermeyer, said that the Argan tree is a “miraculous resource,” in that it boasts many benefits in the fields of nutrition, cosmetics, and medicine.
Obermeyer made the remarks during a high-level meeting organised by the head of Morocco’s permanent mission to the United Nations Omar Hilale, under the theme: “The Argan tree, ancestral source of sustainable development.”
The WHO director shed light on the therapeutic benefits of the Argan tree in the fight against diabetes and hypertension, as well as its ability to potentially immunise against cardiovascular diseases. He also remarked on the use of its oil in the treatment of dermatological infections and other skin problems.
“For us at WHO, traditional and alternative medicine is of great importance to the health community,” said Obermeyer.
Meanwhile, Carla Mucavi, director of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) office in New York, stressed the contribution of the Argan tree to sustainable development, as it is a resilient tree that adapts well to harsh climatic conditions and is, therefore, a “true climate champion”.
Mucavi said that the traditional cultivation of the Argan tree enables families, and especially rural women, to promote sustainable income-generating activities.
“Therefore, the Argan tree could also be described as a champion of sustainable development goals,” she said.
Marie Paul Roudil, director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) office in New York, noted that the Argan tree, an indigenous tree in Morocco, is “a fundamental element of the natural, agricultural and pastoral heritage of local communities.”
The Argan tree thus represents “a symbol of UNESCO’s strategy to promote the links between culture and nature,” she stressed.
In addition, Babita Bisht, deputy director of the External Affairs Department of the Green Climate Fund, noted that Morocco’s project to plant 10,000 hectares of Argan tree that King Mohammed VI launched on February 13 constitutes one of the flagship projects in the field of climate adaptation in Africa.
Source– Morocco World News
and then