ADDIS ABABA – As part of the ‘green legacy’ campaign, the Dire Dawa City Administration and residents have planted some 202,000 seedlings during the launch of this year’s campaign. The City Administration is also planning to plant 1.5 million seedlings this rainy season.
City Administration Agriculture, Water and Energy Bureau head Ibrahim Yesuf told the Amharic daily Addis Zemen that the city administration is expecting to achieve the plan as it managed to plant some 202,000 on the first day alone.
Some 1.2 million and 300,000 trees to be planted are meant to be used as part of afforestation and for food consumption.
The City has been making various preparations by establishing committees to conduct a successful tree plantation campaign, he said adding the green legacy
campaign has been officially launched with the presence of higher officials of the city administration, religious leaders, members of the national defence forces and City policy and other members of the society in a manner that takes the threat of COVID-19 into consideration. Due attention has been given to prevent the spread of the disease during the campaign.
The planting sites have been selected using GPS technologies. The sites were chosen as they are suitable to conduct continuous caring for the seedlings, Ibrahim said.
So far various preparations have been undertaken ranging from nurturing the seedlings and preparing the plantation sites, the bureau head added. So far, 960,000 hectares of land have been prepared for the tree plantation. As per the rainfall situation, the tree plantation will be massively undertaken after a month.
Some 79 percent of the seedlings that were planted during last year’s campaign were confirmed prolific, as to Ibrahim. The
remaining failed to prove prolific due to gaps during the preparation stage. The city has made all the necessary preparations to learn from last year’s failures in this regard, he said.
In addition, due attention has been given to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the tree plantation campaign.
In relation to COVID-19’s impact, the city administration is extensively working to expand the practice of urban agriculture.
The city has specifically given due attention to the production of fruits and vegetables, livestock products and milk.
The trees to be planted will have dual benefits – they could be used as an input for food production and to curb the impacts of climate change.
As Dire Dawa is found is a warm area, the tree plantation campaign will have a significant role in improving the well-being of its residents.
The Ethiopian Herald Jun 18, 2020
BY STAFF REPORTER
Benishangul-Gumuz State working to prevent COVID-19 in border areas
- .To plant more than 70 million seedlings
ADDIS ABABA-The Benishangul-Gumuz State said over 70 million seedlings will be planted in the region. The border control has been intensified to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
State President Ashadali Hassan said that as the state is home to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), it is committed to maintaining environmental conservation activities in a way that enhances the natural resources and sustainability of biodiversity.
More than 70 million seedlings will be planted in all zones and woredas this rainy season. Sufficient seedlings have been
prepared at nursery stations at all levels and plantation sites have already been identified, he added.
“‘Green Legacy’ has been brought to the attention of all community members, experts, and leaders at all levels have jointly shared the task and completed the preparation,” he stressed.
Undertaking massive tree plantation campaign across the country is fundamental to maintain the safety of the generation’s project GERD, he said.
As a result, a plan was prepared four years ago, and the great national nursery movement created in the last two years has created more enthusiasm in the state,
according to him.
The president praises the community’s commitment to planting trees, conserve wildlife, and prevent wildfires in the past few years.
He said the community does this because the feeling of ownership of GERD is high, adding that, it stems from a strong desire to benefit the future generations and the country.
He said the regional community is also working daily to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He pointed out that there are several gates that connect the state with neighbouring countries, hence the state is dealing with
the issue carefully. The state is working diligently with health professionals in this regard.
Significant control is also being made on known entry and exit points where the people’s body temperature is measured.
In addition, he said that the nearby isolation centers have been set up and providing COVID-19 prevention and care services.
Peoples, from South Sudan and other neighboring countries have a high tendency to enter the region, he indicated.
Accordingly, the national and state security forces are taking the lion’s share in regulating illegal entrances to the state from neighbouring countries.
The Ethiopian Herald Jun 18, 2020
BY TEWODROS KASSA
Oromia State inaugurating over 4.8 billion Birr projects
ADDIS ABABA (ENA) -Various projects built with over 4.8 billion Birr in Oromia Regional State will be inaugurated starting from today, according to the state communication bureau.
In a press briefing he gave today, Oromia Regional State Communication Bureau Head Getachew Balcha said 3,981 projects are completed and they will be inaugurated by senior regional officials starting from today.
They will benefit 12.5 million people in the region, he added.
The projects include health, school, irrigation development, water supply, roads, and athletic center, among others, it was learned.
The projects that started in 2010 and delayed due to various problems, including financial, monitoring and evaluation
problems, have recently been given special attention, the head stated.
According to Getachew, the region also expects to harvest 203 million quintals as it has cultivated six million hectares of land this rainy season.
In addition, 200,000 hectares of land is being cultivated to produce over 36 million quintals in order to prevent shortage of food due to coronavirus.
The Head revealed that the regional state is working to ensure the safety and benefits of inhabitants of the region by organizing regional security bodies.
The Ethiopian Herald Jun 18, 2020
Heavy rainfall expected in Ethiopia, unprecedented floodings in parts of East Africa
ADDIS ABABA (ENA) – Heavy rainfall above 200 mm is expected in western Ethiopia and western South Sudan from 11-20 June 2020, according to Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Climate Prediction and Applications Centre.
Moderate to heavy rainfall between 50-200 mm is expected in much of South Sudan southern parts of Sudan, western Ethiopia, parts of western and northwestern Kenya, parts of western and northern Uganda, and parts of southwestern and coastal Somalia, it added.
Besides, high daily-mean temperatures above 30oC are expected in Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, northeastern Ethiopia, and northern Somalia.
Moderate daily-mean temperatures between 20-30oC are expected in South Sudan, much of Uganda, northwestern and coastal Tanzania, eastern and northwestern Kenya, much of Somalia, and southeastern and border areas of Ethiopia.
Previous forecasts warned above normal rainfall could cause unprecedented flooding in some parts of East African countries, including Ethiopia.
National Disaster Risk Management Commission warned that thousands could be displaced and properties damaged due to unprecedented flooding in the coming rainy season in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Herald Jun 18, 2020
