ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia aims to plant over 150 million seedlings in a single day and to break the world record through a person-centered plantation approach, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) disclosed.
MoA’s Natural Resources Development, Conservation, and Utilization Lead Executive Officer Fanose Mekonnen told the Ethiopian Press Agency (EPA) that the country has identified areas using a geo-reference system and made other preliminary preparations to plant 150 million seedlings during this rainy season.
He further stated that the Green Legacy Initiative, supported by the geo-reference system, would significantly showcase Ethiopia’s greenery potential and ensure accurate reporting of the number of plants.
The plan is to cover approximately 669,000 hectares of land with geo-referencing, and Ethiopia has already managed to plant over one million hectares this year. “Eco-friendly and climate-resistant seedlings are prioritized to boost forestry development,” Fanose said. “We have also prepared saplings that beautify and align with metropolis infrastructure standards.”
Priorities are given to indigenous seedlings that help conserve soil and water resources, especially in the Abbay River Basin, which accounts for 33% of the total coverage this planting season to protect against sedimentation.
According to the officer, Ethiopia is aggressively working to cover 56% of the plantation with multifaceted fruit saplings and 44% with forest development saplings. Preparations are also made to cover 75 hectares of land with 150 million seedlings in a single day, aiming to break the Guinness World Record.
It is worth mentioning that Ethiopia has envisioned planting 6.5 billion seedlings to reach its goal of 40 billion in the current planting season.
BY ASHENAFI ANIMUT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 7 AUGUST 2024
