Morocco celebrated the second edition of the International Day of the Argan Tree with the UN on Tuesday.
This celebration, the second of its kind, culminates the efforts of the Kingdom in promoting the Argan tree at the international level as natural capital and intangible cultural heritage of humanity, and an ancestral source of resilient and sustainable development.
The proclamation of this international day is the result of a resolution presented at the initiative of Morocco, by the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, in its plenary session on March 3, 2021.
The process related to the resolution dates back to February 2020 during an event organized by the Kingdom, in collaboration with the National Agency for the Development of Oasis and Argan Zones (ANDZOA), the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), FAO, UNESCO, WHO and the Green Climate Fund.
Negotiations on the text of the UN resolution closed at the end of the event, with the decision to internationally recognize the precious natural resource unique to Morocco.
As stated in the UN resolution, this day represents a recognition of know-how, transmitted from generation to generation, mainly by Moroccan rural women who have preserved the economic, social, and environmental aspects of this ancestral resource.
A vector of job creation in Morocco’s rural areas, and a lever for women’s entrepreneurship, this international occasion brings together a number of small and large Argan professionals to celebrate Morocco’s natural treasured resource.
Argan activity generates economic incomes for thousands of small cooperatives and millions of citizens, as its oils and essences have become among the rarest, most sought after, and most expensive bases for a variety of internationally renowned products.
Cosmetic Benefits
In cosmetics, Argan oil’s richness and density Argan oil is particularly recommended to nourish and soften the skin. Due to its non-greasy feel, it penetrates the skin quickly and protects from skin dehydration.
To reduce split ends and prevent hair breakage, Argan oil can be applied daily on the ends of the hair.
In addition, argan oil contains more than 80% of unsaturated fatty acids including 45% of oleic acid found in particular in sebum. On the skin, Argan oil strengthens the hydrolipidic film and maintains good skin hydration.
For the most dried out skins, atopic or prone to eczema, Argan oil can calm irritations and tightness, and it improves healing. Thanks to its high content of vitamin E, the Argan oil has the double advantage of nourishing the skin dried out by a possible treatment and to act on the scars of acne by its repairing effect.
One of the few non-comedogenic natural oils on the market, it also regulates the production of sebum while reducing inflammation.
Health benefits
Apart from the cosmetic benefits of the prized oil, some believe that the consumption of argan oil can help treat or prevent certain medical conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, epilepsy, and atherosclerosis.
Although scientific studies on the benefits of Argan oil are limited, a 2013 study in the Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine concluded that “diabetic mice given argan oil experienced far greater reductions in blood sugar than untreated mice with the condition,” as the oil appeared to stabilize blood pressure.
A similar study in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases reported that argan oil “blunted the effects of obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet.”
Whether these same benefits can be replicated in humans has yet to be seen.
Argan oil remains understudied compared to other heart-healthy polyunsaturated oils, but part of Morocco’s argan strategy is to raise awareness about the resource on the international level, so that more conclusive, elaborate scientific results can be proven.
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