Rabat – Morocco is preparing to celebrate the International Day of Argania in its second edition this year, in partnership with the United Nations, on Tuesday May 10.
The day will be celebrated this year under the slogan “The Argan tree, symbol of resilience” and will serve to raise international awareness around the tree, its ecosystem, and the important position it holds in Moroccan culture and heritage.
“The argan tree, a true testament to exceptional adaptation to climate change, has been the subject of countless reflections and concerted innovations aimed at strengthening its ecological and socioeconomic resilience and adaptive capacities,” said a press release by the organizers.
May 10 will see a celebratory event with attendance from Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture Mohamed Sadiki, its Ambassador to the UN Omar Hilale, the President of the UN’s General Assembly Abdulla Shahid, among other significant figures.
Sima Bahous, the Executive Director of UN Women, is also to be in attendance.
The cooperatives that produce Argan oil and other derivative products employ mostly women, who have been trained over generations on how to extract the oil. With most of these women working in rural areas, national and international interest groups have exerted efforts recently to preserve their jobs and improve their working conditions.
The sixth edition of the International Congress of the Argan Tree is to be inaugurated during this event, and will bring together Moroccan and international scientists to discuss new discoveries from the tree and how it can help sustainability worldwide.
The tree holds a special place in Moroccan culture and heritage, with the country being the main international exporter of Argan-based products.
In addition to being used for culinary purposes, argan oil is a popular ingredient in cosmetics, skincare, and hair care products, making production and export of it a multi million dollar industry.
The sales of Argan products make up over 90% of the Souss-Massa region’s economy, with forests covering more than 70% of the Souss valley.
UNESCO added the Argan Tree to the Representative List of Humanity’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014.
Morocco’s Argan oil production is estimated to be in the range of 4,000 to 6,000 tons per year.
Read also: Climate Change Will Shrink Morocco’s Argan Industry
