Honouring the value of every tree and every person
Argan Oil, Morocco’s Liquid Gold
“Unlike other exotic resources such as caviar and marine algae, argan oil offers the best of both worlds. It’s an anti-ager and it’s eco-friendly.”
Embedded into the rock and sand on the edge of the Sahara Desert, one can discover the ancient argan tree (argana spinosa). This hardy little tree is vitally important in keeping the ecological balance within the 800,000 hectares it guards against the encroaching desert, much of which was listed as a Biosphere Reserve by the UNESCO-led Man and Biosphere (M.A.B.) program
Found exclusively in Morocco, the argan tree's real treasure is the oil it produces. The Berber women of Morocco have esteemed this aromatic, nutty-flavoured oil for its health-enhancing properties throughout generations. They have used it to flavour their tajines, couscous and other dishes.
In addition to its use in Moroccan cuisine, the oil has been equally celebrated (in its natural state) as nature's anti-ageing serum and skin moisturizer. Living in a harsh desert climate, these women have enjoyed the oil's benefits for centuries, and the scientific community has recently verified the virtues of this exquisite oil. Now it is time to share this treasure around the globe!
Global Treasures S.A.R.L. employs a semi-mechanized process which engenders a harmonizing of traditional know-how and modern technology to provide a superior quality oil. While the processing of the oil occurs in a production plant to ensure the highest standards possible, every litre first requires two days of work
at the hands of women who have learned the generational secret of preparing the raw product. Prior to the pressing of the oil, there is much work to be done in harvesting, hand sorting, and cracking (a notoriously hard nut) to gain the valuable argan almonds containing
up to 50% oil content. Global Treasures S.A.R.L. is committed to employing fair trade practices and providing necessary income to a disadvantaged segment of the population. Purchasers of this oil can be confident that the sale of this oil directly benefits the rural women of Morocco.
For the people, for the planet
The rugged landscape these women call their tamazirt ("village") also benefits from the production of argan oil. Firstly, the process is ecologically friendly, as they use every aspect of the harvest. It is not just the oil-producing almonds that are valuable; the women feed the outer pulp to their goats, use the broken nutshells as cooking fuel, and turn the dough from oil extraction into cattle feed. Nothing goes to waste. But even more significant is that the economic stimulus from the oil increases the value of every tree, ensuring that the forest will be well cared for in its stand against desertification well into the future.
