Grinding and persing argan almonds

Originally uploaded by corv

Originally uploaded by ImAzIr

Originally uploaded by ImAzIr

Goats grazing argan tree

Originally uploaded by Miss Eudoxia

Originally uploaded by Aceduline

Goats like the pulp of argan fruits and often try to climb the trees to get them. They will digest the pulp, but shed the undigested seeds in their feces. As these have shells that are somewhat softened and easier to crack, they are occasionally used to produce oil for non-culinary purposes. An urban legend has it that all argan oil is produced this way. This myth seems to be based on the fact that occasionally, shrewd traders would have sold (and may still try to sell) such "non-food grade" argan oil to ignorant travellers or tourists. The fact that the nuts acquire a foul aroma in passing through the animal's digestive tract makes it easy to tell this oil apart from food-grade produce with its rich, walnut oil-like flavor.

By Aceduline

Originally uploaded by atsjebosma

Argan Tree Morocco

Originally uploaded by Alarabesque

Tree argan, which exists only in the area of the South of Morocco. A very rich oil is extracted from the fruits of this tree: oil argane, very appraisal by the companies of cosmetic. In 1999, UNESCO, declared the argan universal inheritance, and this, in order to protect it by the means of the World Network of the Biosphere (World Biosphere Network Reserve). Photo catch with Has Baamarane, tribe Berber of the South of Morocco.

Arbre arganier, qu'on ne trouve que dans la région du Sud du Maroc. Une huile très riche est extraite des fruits de cet arbre : huile d'argane, très prisée par les sociétés de cosmétique. En 1999, l'Unesco, a déclaré l'arganier patrimoine universel, et ce, afin de le protéger par le biais du Réseau Mondial de la Biosphère (World Biosphere Reserve Network).

Photo prise à Ait Baamarane, tribu berbère du Sud du Maroc.

By Alarabesque

Peppers and Argan oil

Pimientos en aceite de Argán, originally uploaded by escribirconlacabeza.

Argan is an endemic tree of the zone of Essaouira (Morocco), in barren zones occupies more than 650,000 has. in form of clear forests that they do not exceed the 1,500 ms of altitude. Tree of great vitality, of twisted trunks and foliage persistent of small and extended leaves, its fruits, nuts similar to the olives, that have a hard bone that contains almonds of which an orange oil very perfumed is extracted: argan. Its persistent foliage offers to the cattle a true hanging grass, to the goats it enchants to them, and they do not doubt in climbing for upper ramonear in of the tree, offering a singular image that does not happen unnoticed to the step visitor. The nuts are harvested of form similar to the harvesting of olives, of the almonds that there are inside the bone is extracted the perfumed oil, is an oil of strong flavor, that is used as much in the Moroccan gastronomy within the kitchen as in crude. Also curativos powers are attributed to him, reason why we found it in herbolisterias and the stores of homeopatía. The almonds of the bones are extracted and they are ground in stone mills of small size that there is in the Moroccan rural houses. They do lack 100 kg of mature fruits and ten working hours with a homemade mill to obtain a liter of oil.

By escribirconlacabeza

Argan Oil and Tree

moved to: How argan oil is produced

Morocco to create 3 biosphere reserves including Argan

Agadir (southwest), Feb. 28 - Morocco is due to create three biosphere reserves, part of a national strategy for protected natural areas, revealed, here Monday, Water and Forest Commissioner, Abdeladim El Hafi.

The reserves include an Argan reserve (RBA), an oases reserve, south (RBOSM) and an intercontinental Mediterranean Reserve (RBIM), El Hafi told MAP at the end of a workshop on sustainable tourism, adding that the RBIM, which enjoys the UNESCO backing, is a unique in the world as it links Africa and Europe.

He said that the geographic, climate and cultural similarities between southern Spain and northern Morocco were behind the creation of this reserve, which covers an area of 1.000.000 ha, noting that the project aims at enabling the two countries share experiences and cooperate in managing and protecting natural resources.

A plan to set up a Cedar Biosphere Reserve in the Middle Atlas is also being devised to safeguard this tree, due to its important role in regulating the water cycle, in an area that contains more than 40% of water resources in Morocco, he said.

El Hafi recalled that Morocco ranks second -after Turkey- in the Mediterranean in terms of biodiversity richness, its natural resources remain however "Fragile and not protected enough, which requires the setting up of a national network to protect natural areas."

The national strategy for protected natural areas revolves around three axes, namely restoring and developing polluted environments, and promoting eco-tourism products.

King launches construction of argan-oil extraction unit in Agadir

Agadir, May 25 - King Mohammed VI laid on Thursday in Agadir (600km south of Rabat the foundation stone of the construction of an argan-oil extraction unit.

The USD 300,000 project is meant to improve the revenues of women and families living in underprivileged villages.

Built on 380 m², the unit will contribute in protecting the argan tree through promoting its products, providing literacy and training courses to women and developing wealth-generating activities in the rural world.

The project is part of the National Initiative for Human Development (INDH) for the south-western region of Souss-Massa-Daraa region, which is allotted USD 115Mn to fight poverty and social exclusion in the region.

In 2006, INDH programs in the region were allotted USD 28Mn to improve human development indicators through poverty reduction, social integration, improving citizens’ life conditions and reinforcing good governance.

According to Regional Director of the Water and Forests Department, Abdelkrim Azenfar, some 1400 hectares of argan tree land are to be replanted with the endemic tree in Souss-Massa-Draa in 2006.

The tree almond-like nuts are processed into argan oil. The oil is edible, mingled to ground almonds and honey we obtain a peanut butter like paste. The tree nuts and leaves are feed for goats, mainly. The tree also provides firewood for local populations.

The Moroccans have been using for centuries the Argan oil as food as well as a beauty product, notably as an ointment for skin and hair. The oil is relatively rich in vitamin E and is antioxidant that can limit the appearance of wrinkles.

The Soussis and the Moroccans at large use it to remedy arthritis and for some decades it has been used to lower cholesterol rate and hence prevent heart diseases.

The Argan tree (argania spinosa) grows in a harsh environment, surviving heat, drought and poor soil. It is little known outside Morocco, and many Moroccans themselves have never heard of it because it grows only in the south-west of the country - roughly between Essaouira and Agadir, in an area covering 700,000-800,000 hectares.

But within the area where the Argan grows there are about 21 million trees, which play a vital role in the food chain and the environment, though their numbers are declining. The tree, which is thorny and can reach heights of 8-10 metres, probably originated in Argana, a village north-east of Agadir (off Route 40). It lives longer than the olive and requires no cultivation.

The production of Argan oil, which is still mostly done by traditional methods, is a lengthy process. Each nut has to be cracked open to remove the kernel, and it is said that producing one liter of oil takes 20 hours' work.

source MAP