Women’s argan co-operatives, Morocco
This fascinating video, filmed by film production student Tom Coulson, looks at how women in Morocco are organising themselves into co-operatives and associations based around the production of argan, a type of oil used in cooking and cosmetics.
Argan, which is only found in southern Morocco, is sold at high prices to western countries, yet the profits are often monopolised by intermediaries in cities who bottle, market and sell the oil, so the profits are delayed in returning to the producers. The extraction of the argan oil is a slow process: it requires 12 working hours on average for every litre of finished product and the return on the fresh (cool) fruit in pure oil is close to 1%.
The video shows villagers planning for a co-operative centre called the Hope Association which is purchasing bottling equipment so locals can sell the argan themselves and make makeup, therefore keeping resources in the community and earning money to buy electricity and a water supply to prepare more argan. There is a lot of migration from poor rural areas to cities and other countries, and argan co-operatives are also a way of encouraging people to stay in the community.
Argan co-operatives also provide independence for women, who often can’t read or write, taking them out of their traditional role in the home, cooking and looking after children, into the workplace. This helps women provide an income not just for themselves but also their families and the local community.
Associations work on projects to help provide the infrastructure local government can’t offer – roads, water, sanitation, health and schools.
For more information visit www.fedat.ma.
