ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopians across the nation participated in a monumental tree-planting effort today, aiming to set a new world record by planting 600 million saplings before dusk. The initiative is part of the country’s ambitious Green Legacy project, which seeks to plant 7.5 billion seedlings this season.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, Selamawit Kassa, already 234 million saplings were planted by mid-morning. The Green Legacy initiative, initiated in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, has not only increased the national forest cover but also aims to combat severe environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change. The project, under the slogan “A Country that Plants; A Generation that Sustains!”, has seen widespread participation from various groups including diplomatic corps and foreign nationals residing in Ethiopia.

The initiative has previously set impressive records, with 560 million trees planted in just 12 hours last year, surpassing the prior record of 350 million set in August 2019. With a significant increase in forest cover from 17.2 percent in 2019 to 23.6 percent in 2023, the Green Legacy initiative has become a critical element in Ethiopia’s environmental strategy, addressing issues such as drought, food insecurity, and land degradation through enhanced forestation, agroforestry, and eco-tourism efforts. To date, Ethiopia has planted over 32.5 billion trees under this initiative, with expectations to reach 40 billion by the end of the rainy season, of which 56 percent are fruit and multipurpose varieties.