ADDIS ABABA – Today, millions of Ethiopians rose early to participate in a nationwide effort to plant 600 million seedlings, aiming to break their own record in a single day. This ambitious endeavor is a key component of the National Green Legacy Initiative, introduced by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019 to address climate change and food security challenges.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopia has significantly increased its forest cover from 17.2% in 2019 to 23.6% in 2023, planting over 32.5 billion trees in the last five years. An additional 7.5 billion seedlings are expected to be planted this rainy season, aiming to reach a total of 40 billion trees. With 56% of the current plantings being fruit and multipurpose plants, the initiative also seeks to enhance agricultural productivity. The ultimate goal is to plant 50 billion seedlings by 2026, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability and economic growth.