Commodity chain : ARGAN-2008

Culture

The argan is believed to have grown around most of Maghreb in the past and is now only growing in the region of Assaouira in Morocco. Only 2.1 million acres are now covered with arcan and it is estimated that 125,000 acres are lost every year. In spite of the fact that argan oil is a precious and coveted resource, many argan trees have been felled to produce fire wood or to clean up the area for other agricultural usages. The argan is a wild tree which cannot be cultivated, though tests have been made (notably thanks to UNESCO and through the "Tamounte" project) which seem to indicate that it could indeed be cultivated.

Surface Area

The argan tree is today classified in a biosphere reserve and the species is rapidly expanding. UNESCO promoted it to World Heritage, in need of special care and of total protection. UNESCO and many international NGO's have helped to create a natural reserve for this tree and have increased the awareness of local populations with regards to its protection.

Background history of the project

The Ajddigue coop was created in 1997 under the impetus of a university teacher, Mrs Zoubida Charrouf, to allow underprivileged women to free themselves and to get a job while promoting their know-how and argan oil.

We started working with the Ajddigue coop in 2005 and, in 2006, carried out a social and environmental audit. Following the audit, we decided to formalize a sustainable development and fair trade approach and asked Bio Partenaire to accompany us in the venture.

Local Partners

- Ajddigue coop

- L'aile du Papillon (consultant, audit, supplier...): www.ailedupapillon.com (contact : Marguerite Lacoste)

Context

Argan oil is produced in a semi-arid region of southern Morocco. This is a very poor region with no industry whatsoever and the agriculture is mainly one of survival.

To Berber women working in argan coops, there is hardly any mode of transport, no running water inside homes, and a connexion to electricity is very expensive. Illitracy rates remain very high and many of the inhabitants do not master Arabic. Education for kids is very difficult starting with secondary school as it is very expensive and often far away from home. Many parents give up the idea of sending their kids to school after primary school.

Since 1925, local populations are allowed to gather argan nuts and women are able, therefore, to earn a living by crashing and pressing the almonds at home. Salaries are however much too low for this strictly manual, laborious and tiring work. Indeed, they are not organized as a working group and to not have sufficient education to discuss the selling price of their oil.

Stakes

Development of the Ajddigue coop allows for a greater number of women to live a dignified life from their work and to get a fair and steady salary for it. Becoming a member of the coop goes through a file procedure and priority access is given to women in the worst of cases, alone with children, widows or disabled. The coop tries to have ten new members each year and many women actually apply for a membership.

Program Description

Terre d'Oc guarantees a steady volume of orders to allow women to work throughout the year and our buying price is much higher than prevailing market prices. This year, we financed a sickness insurance for all women of the coop. We also produced a social photo documentary on the women of the coop to give them a valued image of themselves and of their know-how. From this documentary, both committed and artistic, we organized a touring expo which has already been shown in Paris and Agadir. The expo allows us to show what has been done so far towards the economic emancipation of these women and to better understand it.

We try to promote the by-products of argan oil, buying the pulp to optimize the production of oil and allowing women to take more profits from this raw material. We meet the their of the coop twice a year to evaluate their needs and expectancies. We increase their awareness towards respect of the environment.

Company being engaged in this commodity chain

Terre d'Oc