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Rabat – Morocco and the wider international community, are preparing to celebrate the first International Day of Argania, on May 10.
Morocco first proposed the annual celebration of its national tree to the UN earlier in the year, inviting all member states to observe the International Day on May 10.
The draft resolution cited the instrumental role of the argan tree in promoting local jobs and eradicating poverty, which goes hand-in-hand with the UN’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
It did not take long for the UN to adopt Morocco’s resolution. On March 3, the UN proclaimed May 10th as the International Day of Argania.
The celebration is a result of Morocco’s efforts to bring the international community’s attention to the North African country’s undertaking to further develop its already thriving Argan industry.
Read also: UN Spotlights Morocco’s Efforts to Preserve Argan Trees
Morocco, in partnership with the UN, will be organizing a “high-level event,” reports AETOSWire. Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, Waters, and Forests, Aziz Akhannouch, will be chairing the event.
Among the other high-profile figures in attendance will be Omar Hilale, Morocco’s permanent representative to the UN, Volkan Bozkir, president of the UN’s General Assembly, Audrey Azoulay, director-general of UNESCO, and Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO.
The event will take place on May 10, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. UTC, and it will be streamed live on the UN’s Web TV, YouTube, and various social media.
The Moroccan government, in 2019, enacted the Argan Tree Planting Program 2020-2030, through which “Morocco aims to plant argan trees over 38 000 hectares to enhance vulnerable communities’ resilience to climate change, increase carbon storage in biomass and soils, and indirectly reduce the industrial and anthropogenic pressure on natural argan tree forests.”
The argan tree
The argan tree’s original habitat is the Souss valley in south-western Morocco, where argan forests cover more than 71% of the valley. The Souss valley is a key factor behind Morocco’s position as the main international exporter of argan-based products.
The argan tree makes up a significant source of income for the people living in the region. Argan product sales, manifesting in medicine, cosmetics, or for general consumption, make up over 90% of the Souss-Massa region’s economy.
Argan oil also has a plethora of health benefits, from its valuable fatty acid profile, containing 13% palmitic acid, and above 80% of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids including 48-59% oleic acid and 30-50% of linoleic acid.
It contains large amounts of vitamin E, which can help reduce cholesterol levels and triglycerides. Argan oil is also abundant in dermatological benefits, often used in hair and skin products, as well as for growing stronger hair, treating stretch marks, and acne.
