Once adorned with expansive forests, Ethiopia suffered a devastating loss of its green cover due to unchecked deforestation. The country’s forest dwindled to 3 % from its historic dense forest cover of 60%, resulting loss in biodiversity.
Recognizant of the deterioration of the country’s forest, a remarkable transformation has been taking place in recent times due to the visionary leadership of Prime Abiy Ahmed who has spearheaded a national movement to restore the country’s ecological balance through the Green Legacy Initiative. The initiative has brought about millions of Ethiopians together with consolidated efforts to reforest the nation and build a sustainable future.
Accordingly, the nationwide Green Legacy Initiative has made a promising turnaround of afforestation, with a forest cover rebounding to 23.6 per cent in 2023. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative has made significant momentum as the number of seedlings planted annually has steadily increased, demonstrating growing public awareness and participation since it was launched in 2019.
In the first three years, a total of 16.3 billion seedlings were planted: 4.7 billion in 2019/2020, 5.9 billion in 2020/2021, and 6.7 billion in 2021/2022. This upward trend continued with over 7.2 billion seedlings planted in 2022/2023, setting a target of planting 7.5 billion samplings through the 2024 Green Legacy Initiative.
In the first phase of the initiative, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed set an ambitious goal of planting 20 billion trees within four years. However, exceeding the expectations, Ethiopians were able to plant over 25 billion saplings. The first phase has yielded a significant increase in afforestation, job creations, improving the livelihoods for communities.
Concluding the first phase, Ethiopia has embarked on the second phase of the Green Legacy Initiative with an even more ambitious goal of planting 50 billion saplings over the next four years, giving emphasis on planting indigenous and fruit saplings, with a vision of transforming the country into Africa’s leading avocado producer.
The country’s journey from deforestation to reforestation is a testament to the power of collective effort and visionary leadership. The initiative stands as a global model for overcoming environmental challenges and building resilience to green economy.
“Protecting and caring for biodiversity is not a luxury but a survival.” Like many nations, Ethiopia faces the challenges of climate change, including floods, soil erosion, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. The country’s commitment to this initiative has garnered international acclaim, positioning the country as one of environmental stewardships both in Africa and globally,” Prime Minister Abiy emphasized.
The country has continued planting millions of sapling this rainy season too. The prime minister has called on Ethiopians to write history by planting 600 million tree seedlings in a single day by tomorrow, August 23, 2024. “Let us leave a lasting legacy across Ethiopia,” he said, adding, “Together, we can achieve extraordinary outcomes.”
He emphasized the importance of this tree-planting campaign as a tangible expression of patriotism and a gift for the future generations. Building on the success of last year’s initiative, where Ethiopia planted over 566 million seedlings in a single day, surpassing the 500 million target, and this year’s campaign aims to plant 600 million saplings.
Ethiopians are rallying behind the “A Nation that Plants; A Generation that Sustains” motto as they have embraced it.
“Forests provide oxygen, store carbon, regulate climate, and harbor immense biodiversity. Let’s safeguard our existing forests and expand our forest cover through planting”, the prime minister reiterated.
Through unwavering commitment and the participation of millions of Ethiopians, the nation has achieved remarkable progress in a short span. The ambitious tree-planting campaigns, including the record-breaking single-day planting, have significantly increased forest cover and improved the overall ecological health of the country.
Ethiopia’s success story serves as an inspiration to the world, demonstrating that it is possible to reverse environmental degradation and build a sustainable future. By prioritizing reforestation, biodiversity conservation, and community involvement, Ethiopia is not only protecting its own environment but also contributing to global efforts to combat climate change. As the nation continues to advance its green agenda, it is poised to become a global leader in environmental stewardship and a model for other countries seeking to restore their natural heritage.
Today , Ethiopians will go out in millions to achieve the target of planting 600 million seedlings in a day
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