Rabat — Morocco will celebrate the 5th International Argan Day on May 10, reflecting the tree’s vital role in fighting climate change.
Since 2021, the UN has recognized this day to honor the argan tree — a cornerstone of Morocco’s heritage that UNESCO has designated as both a Biosphere Reserve and intangible cultural heritage.
The celebration is in line with King Mohammed VI’s strategies aimed at expanding argan cultivation across 10,000 hectares in multiple regions across Morocco.
Morocco’s National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and Argan (ANDZOA) is at the center of these celebrations, and will be putting on various entertainment and education events to promote Morocco’s sacred resources.
“Argan trees form a living barrier against desertification,” explains ANDZOA’s general director, Latifa Yaacoubi. Established in 2010 under Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture, the organization has been at the forefront of efforts to protect this precious tree and to promote sustainable development across the country’s argan-rich regions.
The celebration is in line with King Mohammed VI’s strategies aimed at expanding argan cultivation across 10,000 hectares in multiple regions across Morocco.
The events will bring together researchers, policymakers, and regional stakeholders to discuss innovative solutions to climate challenges.
On this year’s agenda are scientific conferences in Agadir and Taroudant, which will focus on argan research and carbon sequestration.
Children will have the chance to participate in educational activities about argan through art competitions and tree-planting initiatives. Food enthusiasts and connoisseurs eager to utilize Morocco’s sacred tree in their cooking will be able to have a taste at the “Souss Gastro Festival” from May 8-12, where 20 international chefs will reimagine traditional argan oil recipes.
For sports lovers, Agadir will also host an argan-themed half marathon to promote conservation awareness.
Read also: The ‘Blessed Tree’: Morocco’s Miracle Argan Oil
Throughout May, ANDZOA will conduct training sessions for women’s cooperatives and community associations on sustainable argan cultivation, resource management, female entrepreneurship, and forest co-management.
Known as the “Blessed Tree,” argan trees thrive in southwestern Morocco’s harsh conditions, and have been a crucial agricultural stronghold for generations, with some surviving over 200 years.
The oil extracted from these trees contains valuable compounds including vitamin E, omega fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Beyond offering health and beauty benefits, argan production provides crucial economic opportunities for rural women’s cooperatives, preserving traditional knowledge while supporting sustainable development across Morocco’s 830,000-hectare argan forest regions.
