National School of Forests in the province of Khenchela, launched today, Saturday, the National Training Days for NWR Professionals, as stated by the local forestry governorate.
Bachir Bahri, Head of the Forest Resources Management Department in the Forests Governorate and Director of the Non-Wood Forest Resources Valuation Project in the same province, explained that this training session organized on the occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity, which falls on May 22 of each year, will last for three days and will be attended by 25 professionals interested in the Division of Non-Wood Forest Resources. The extract of medicinal and aromatic plants is supervised by national and international consultants and experts.
The same official stated that the professionals who registered their attendance on the first days of the national training course organized by the Forestry Governorate of Khenchela province under the supervision of the General Directorate of Forests and in coordination with the Local Directorate of Environment and the National School of Forests represent the four model provinces, namely: Constantine, Blida, Khenchela and Mostaganem in product valuation projects, Non-woody woodland, medicinal and aromatic plants such as rosemary, fruiting pine, and carob.
He added that the purpose of organizing this training course within the framework of the program of the national workshop for planning the valuation of non-wood forest resources is to achieve optimal utilization of non-wood forest resources, especially medicinal and aromatic plants, and to accompany professionals interested in the field in all stages that allow them to create mini-institutions and invest in this creative domain of wealth.
For his part, the professor supervising the training course and expert in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants exploitation, Professor Nassim Djabou from the University of Tlemcen, said that during the training workshop days, he, alongside a group of professors and experts, will deliver theoretical lectures and practical lessons for investors in the Division of Non-Wood Forest Resources and the Converters of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants about The technical and economic aspects to help them market the products professionally.
He emphasized that the benefits that the manufacturing industry reaps for medicinal and aromatic oils dozen times higher than the profits gained when marketing the raw material only.
The same expert at the United Nations added that the training of professionals in the Non-Wood Forest Products Division would contribute to increasing the number of small enterprises invested in the division and contribute to the embodiment of the government’s plan of action aimed at creating wealth and providing jobs while reducing the import bill and freedom from dependency on the hydrocarbon sector.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, represented by the General Directorate of Forests, had initiated, in coordination with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, since the end of 2018, projects for the valuation of non-wood forest products, while organizing awareness days regarding the importance of investment in the division with the training of managers of more than 100 small enterprises, who showed their intention to invest in the division across four model provinces.
