Document Type

Student Paper

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Abstract

This paper examines the actual and potential role of international intellectual property law in the protection of the traditional knowledge associated with argan oil, a product linked to the cultural heritage of the indigenous people in Morocco and increasingly commercialized globally. The paper starts with a background on the argan forest and the cultural significance of the argan tree. Then, the traditional production method used to extract argan oil is discussed. The paper also covers the rise of women’s cooperatives and how the argan oil industry has economically transformed in recent decades. The next section identifies problems in protecting traditional knowledge, including inequitable benefit-sharing, counterfeiting, environmental pressures, and the mechanization of the argan oil production process. The paper then discusses Morocco’s domestic IP laws. International legal protections, including the TRIPS Agreement, the Nagoya Protocol, and recent WIPO initiatives, are reviewed. Finally, the paper suggests recommendations to improve the protection of traditional knowledge, including the enactment of national laws and the expansion of international GI protection.

Comments

This working paper was originally submitted for the International Intellectual Property Law course (Spring 2026) and is posted here as a draft to facilitate feedback and broader dissemination prior to formal publication.

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