Valorisation of Argan oil for a Sustainable Management of the Arid Zones of South-

West Morocco

Zoubida CHARROUFProf. à l’Université Mohammed V-Agdal

Faculté des Sciences, Rabat Maroc

Pour laPromotiondes PlantesMédicinales

© Zoubida Charrouf, 2005

ArganArgan tree : tree : ArganiaArgania spinosaspinosa ((SapotaceaeSapotaceae))

Argania forest, natural endemic region in South West Morocco, preserved in order to maintain harmony of the populations and ecosystem.

• Living 150-250 years, Argania tree is a survivor of the tertiary era.• Medium size tree with short tenacious and thorny trunk, and bark snake skin like.

•Last rampart facing the ever increasing desert area, surviving heat, drought and poor soil thanks to developed root system and nearly evergreen leaves grouped in a large crown.

• Area : approx, 800 000 ha

L’Arganier

Fruits: fleshy drupes ; Color green yellow ; Kernel with hard shell.1 to 3 seeds (60% oil content).

Argan fruits

Argania forest listed Argania forest listed as biosphere reserve by UNESCO as biosphere reserve by UNESCO (1999)(1999)Very resistant to dry and arid conditionsCan stand temperatures of 3 to 50°C

Argan Forest

Traditional uses of the argan tree

Mainly know for its oil, obtained by local crafts, generally manually.

Processed since centuries for food, folk medecine and cosmetic applications.

The used parts are:

•fruits to extract the oil,

•fruit shell as fuel,

•oil-cake by product of the oil preparation,used to feed the cattle,

•leaves eaten by goats directly on the trees,

•wood used as building material and as fuel.

Socio-economic role of the argania forest

Argania forest = very important socio-economic role.

Provides products and income for 3 million persons(Morocco = 30 million inhabitants).

Exploitation of the argania forest = 20 million working hours / year.

The argania forest: a fragile ecosystem

Today, the argania forest is victim of its own richness, and is threatened by:

evolution of life style in rural regions.

Increase of the demography:

• need to increase surfaces for

Agriculture clearing,

• over-exploitation of the soils,

• irrigation: exhaustion of ground water,

• deep plowing argania root damages.Cereals culture under

argania trees

The argania forest: a fragile ecosystem

• Intensive grazing regeneration of the trees becomes more and more difficult.

• Increase of wood consumption: as fuel and building material.• Difficult climate.• Encroaching desert.• Erosion of the soil by the wind.

Between 1994 and 2008, the total surface of the argania forest decreased by 32 to 42% (Moroccan Ministry of Water and Forest, March 2001).

Approx. - 600 ha / year.

Consequence : Erosion.Appearance of sand dunes

Rural exodus.

Actions for the protection of the argan forest

UNESCO - 1998: classification of the argan forest as:

Biosphere Reserve

= territories delineated into ecosystems where we strive to reconcile economic development and conservation of biodiversity.

Sort of living laboratory for experimentation, and demonstration of an integrated management of soil, water and biodiversity.

Derived from the Convention on biological diversity (UNESCO -1996).

Actions for the protection of the argan forest

1996 : TARGANINEa cooperative network.

Target: to protect the argania forest

• Training local populations to the protection of their patrimony,

• Support and organization of the craft production and commercialization of the argan oil.

• Exclusively female:= source of additional income,= improvement of their social status.

• Equitable trade, Ecological farming and Sustainable development.

Actions for the protection of the argan forest

Other targets directed to the Moroccan women:

• awareness of the Moroccan women to a harvesting respecting the argania forest,

• participation to the reforestation: each woman has to plant 10 argania trees every year,

• organization and follow-up of literacyprograms.

TraditionnelTraditionnel Medicine of Medicine of ArganArgan oiloil

Argan oil has been used in folk medicine for centuries for :

Heart diseas, Acne therapy,Fertility,

rhumatisamel, chekenpox. Skin healing : Moistures and nourishing ;

Regenerating and activating ; Diminishing wrinkles, etc

Argan oil compounds soluble in fat and insoluble in water

Fatty AcidPolyphenol :

Vanilic Ac. - Synringic Ac. –Ferrulic Ac. Cafeic Ac. Tyrosol - Secoirridoid

Health application : Cardio-vascular preventionNeurodegenerative diseases

Saturated Fatty Acid

Health application : Cardio-vascular, cancer and diabetic prevention

Neurodegenerative diseases

Unsaturated Fatty Acid (80 %)

Poly-Unsatured Fatty AcidPUFA (35 %)

Linoleic Ac. (precursor of Omega 6)

PUFASFA > 3.5

Mono-Unsatured Fatty AcidMUFA (45 %)

Oleic Ac.

Insaponifiable fraction (1 %) of Argan oil(Compounds soluble in fat and insoluble in water)

Aliphatic Alcohol + Triterpenes : Tocopherol : 4 isomers

Vegetable SterolPhytosterols (0.3-0.4 %)

Important dose in Argan oil

Schottenol Spinasterol(0.2-0.3 %) α, β, δ, γ

Health application : Menopause, Osteoporose, metabolic disease

Metabolised :γ CEHC, inhibitorof cyclo-oxygenase

(Inflammation)

Health application : Important antioxydant and antiradicalair effect

* Neurodegenerative diseases* Protector in ageing process

Argan Oil had shown an important antioxydant effects.

The traditional use of argan oil for skin care and healing (used to preventaging of the skin and to help tissue regeneration), and the chemical composition of Argan oil explain the interest of many laboratories to use it in dermocosmetology.

These properties was evaluated by many laboratories :•restoration of the skin water-lipid layer and an increase of nutrients in the skin cell•stimulation of intracellular oxygenation•neutralisation of free radical agents and protection of the conjonctive tissue

Activité Hypocholestérolémianteet hypolidémiante de l’huile d’argane

Evolution du taux du cholestérol en fonction du temps Chez les Hommes

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Evolution du taux des Triglycérides en fonction du temps chez les Hommes

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Charrouf 2002

Consumption of argan oil (Morocco) with its unique profile of fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, sterols and phenolic compounds should confer valuable cancer chemopreventive

effects

Khallouki F; Younos C; Soulimani R; Oster T; Charrouf Z; Spiegelhalder B; Bartsch H; Owen R W EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER PREVENTION (2003 Feb), 12(1), 67-75.

Traditional extraction of Argan oilTraditional extraction of Argan oil

Breaking the shells of Argan Nuts

Rosting of the Argan almonds

Grounding in hand-millsMixing of Argan

past

Research and developpement

Improving thepackaging

Improving theextraction of argan oil

Argan oil processing: creation of cooperatives Argan oil processing: creation of cooperatives

Oil mechanically extracted in women cooperatives for improvementof women social and economic conditions.

Actions for the protection of the argan forest

Brought together in a Economic Interest Group (EIG).

A work force of more than 2500 women.

In 2005:

• 5 extraction and commercialization cooperatives:

among which Tamanar,Tidzi, Aït Baha, Tiout…

• 60 grinding cooperatives.

Fair trade

The sales price of the cooperatives are fixed taking into account :• The corresponding market price.• A sufficient income to perpetuate their activity.

Women salary = at least equal to the local minimal salary.

Craft oil production: usually workforce mainly underpaid.

Guarantee of a decent salary = recognition of the social status of the women in these rural regions.

Ecological farming

The Targanine cooperative guarantees that all the argania products are cultivated and harvested respecting the environment, and without using any chemical treatments or pesticides.

Ecocert certification of the oil has been obtained.

Slowfood 1st prize has been obtained in 2001.

Slow Food: international association that promotes food and wine culture, but also defends food and agricultural biodiversity worldwide.

Sustainable development

The cooperatives participate to concrete actions for the preservation of the argania forest.

Involvement of the Moroccan women in the rural development.

Their direct participation in the decision-making process and self-promotion for sustainable development.

Designed to support the economic development of populations living in these regions.

Sustainable development

Giving value to the products of the argan tree for the benefit of users of the forest and motivate them to preserve it.

Collaboration with different organizations for the development and valorization of the argania products.

With the help and support of the local authorities.

Targanine products

Recherche d’investisseurs

REMERCIEMENTSCentre de Recherches pour le Développement International (CRDI) (Canada)L’ambassade de Canada L’ambassade du Japon L’ambassade et le consulat d’Angleterre, La Maison de l’ArganLa Principauté de MonacoGouvernement Flamand ONGs internationales (Oxfam-Québec, leComité d’Entraide Internationale, Slow Food, ORIGIN)

REMERCIEMENTSLes autorités provinciales d’Essaouira,Taroudant,

Tiznit, Chtouka Ait Baha et d’AgadirLes autorités locales de Tamanar, Tidzi, Mesti,

Tiout, Ait BahaLes communes de Tamanar, Tidzi, Mesti, Tiout, Ait BahaL’Office de Développement de la CoopérationLes Directions Provinciales d’AgriculturesLes CT des Eaux et ForêtL’Etablissement Autonome de Contrôle et de coordination

à l’ExportationLe Laboratoire Officiel d’Analyse et de Recherches chimiquesLes délégations du Ministère du TourismeLesieurLa Ligue Nationale de Luttes contre les maladies cardiovasculairesLa société civileLes coopératives Targanine