Kingdom
Agriculture: Celebration of International Argan Tree Day
Ahmed El Bouari presided this Sunday over the 6th edition of International Argan Tree Day, which was marked by the signing of several partnership agreements and conventions by the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) with the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), the African Plant Nutrition Institute, and the Managem Group.
The Minister of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, Ahmed El Bouari, presided on Sunday 10 May in the province of Essaouira over the celebration of the 6th edition of International Argan Tree Day, in the presence of the provincial governor, the President of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Research and the Safeguarding of the Argan Tree, and representatives of UNDP, UNESCO, and FAO in Morocco.
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the celebration marked a significant moment in highlighting the efforts undertaken by the Kingdom to preserve, rehabilitate, and sustainably develop the argan tree ecosystem, which is internationally recognised as an exceptional natural, cultural, and human heritage.
The event also underscored the strategic role of the argan tree as a lever of resilience in the face of climate change, water scarcity, and desertification, as well as its importance in strengthening the ecological, economic, and social balance of territories.
In his opening address, the Minister emphasised that the argan tree constitutes a genuine pillar of ecological, economic, and social resilience, capable of providing concrete responses to the challenges of water stress and climate change. He recalled that Morocco continues, in line with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to pursue its efforts to develop an integrated, sustainable, and competitive value chain through the expansion of arganiculture plantations, the rehabilitation of natural forest areas, the strengthening of scientific research, and the improvement of living conditions for local populations.
The official ceremony was marked by the signing by the National Agency for the Development of Oasis Zones and the Argan Tree (ANDZOA) of several partnership agreements and conventions with the National Institute for Agronomic Research, the African Plant Nutrition Institute, and the Managem Group. These partnerships focus notably on monitoring carbon sequestration in arganiculture areas, developing climate finance mechanisms, valorising carbon credits, and implementing research, innovation, and socio‑economic development projects in argan-growing territories.
Closing of the 8th edition of the International Argan Tree Congress
As part of the celebration, the Minister also presided over the closing of the 8th edition of the International Argan Tree Congress, held from 8 to 10 May in Essaouira under the theme: “From the argan forest to arganiculture: the argan tree as a pillar of water resilience for ecosystems, territories, and communities.”
Organised under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Congress has established itself as a leading scientific and institutional platform dedicated to the exchange of expertise and the promotion of innovation within the sector. This edition brought together nearly 500 participants and featured more than 120 scientific presentations addressing the environmental, economic, social, and technological dimensions of the argan tree.
The discussions enabled in‑depth reflection on biodiversity conservation, sustainable natural resource management, water resilience, the valorisation of argan-derived products, and the opportunities offered by applied research, biotechnological innovation, and carbon markets.
