Abstract
Argan oil has skyrocketed from a mere tourist attraction to one of the most prized oils in the world in a few short years. Argan oil’s unique savor and multiple pharmacological properties are responsible for this success. Argan oil is almost exclusively produced in southwestern Morocco, one of the poorest parts of the country, where all-women cooperatives specialize in high quality argan oil extraction. This activity is therefore providing a welcome financial stream. However, the argan tree, the fruit of which provides argan oil, could rapidly become an endangered species due to years of recurrent drought, forest overuse, and poor forest management. Consequently, women cooperatives aimed at sustainably supporting the argan forest represent the cornerstone of a vast program involving the reforestation of fragile and particularly degraded lowlands and also provide education of rural women.