BY ADDISALEM MULAT
It is crystal clear that quite a lot of fruitful activities have been carried out in the length and breadth of Ethiopia with the purpose of greening the country and adding a majestic look to its attention-grabbing natural resources.
In times gone by, Ethiopia’s forest coverage was outside the realm of imagination. There were attention-grabbing dense forests in the left, right, and center of the country that attracts the attention of all and sundry at the stroke of a pen.
However, as time went by, the whole thing went on missing the intended target owing to farming, livestock production, waste and food waste, and other related aspects.
Everyone is very well aware of the fact that billions of tree seedlings were planted on a national scale following the initiative of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and thus the forest coverage of the country is getting back on track. Furthermore, the Premier managed to build parks in Addis Ababa, the diplomatic capital of Africa.
People residing all over the country have been expressing their infinite happiness now and then along these lines. They are feeling on top of the world and over the moon.
Nothing makes them happier than spending their time in the left, right, and center of the parks seeing that they refresh their minds, souls, and minds with the unique nature of the parks bedecked with eye-catching trees.
Recently, Adanech Abebie, Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa, launched Green Development and Environmental Conservation campaign that lasts for four months.
She said regarding the program, “Aside from making Addis Ababa a tourist destination, and more attractive as well as boosting its economic activities, the city should be clean and neat,”
She kept on saying, “The youth’s green development and environmental conservation that lasts for four months encompasses more than 28,000 volunteer women and youths. They will play a part in the program twice a week.”
The Deputy Mayor calls upon all the inhabitants of the city to discharge their responsibilities to make Addis Ababa, the diplomatic capital of Africa more beautiful than ever before and make the city tourists’ magnet.
Through the Addis Ababa City Conservation and Green Development Commission Coordination, the community will be made to partake in the Green Development undertakings and environmental conservation.
In an interview, Rufale Maru gave to The Ethiopian Herald regarding the issue said, “This is a great move. At this time, the government of Ethiopia is placing emphasis on the greening development of the country and taking the country to the next level of accomplishment.
On this account, rehabilitating degraded areas and fast-tracking the reimbursements of environmental goods and services have been moving in the right direction.
“As of the time, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power, he has been working by the sweat of his brow intending to curve the climate change impacts making use of a wide spectrum of techniques. Furthermore, everybody should be able to make an effort to promote reforestation, rehabilitate degraded land, and so on.
If everybody works hand-in-glove around the clock regardless of gender and age, the intended target could be achieved at the earliest possible date. As some areas in the capital come into contact with a shortage of appropriate conservation, we should focus on rehabilitating degraded lands.
In an interview Sebsebe Demissew, Professor of Plant Systematics & Biodiversity, Department of Plant Biology & Biodiversity Management, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University gave in the recent past to The Ethiopian Herald said, “Causes of deforestation in Ethiopia include conversion to agriculture and use of forests as a source of wood for timber, charcoal production, firewood, and construction.
These causes are shaped by underlying drivers, including national policies, institutional instability, agricultural stagnation, poverty, and demographic pressure.”
“The points articulated apply to the causes of deforestation in any part of our country and need to address the direct and indirect pressures.
To increase the forest cover, we need to understand the causes of deforestation and try to address the issues. Unless we address these underlying issues, we cannot talk about increasing the forest cover,” he added.
In an interview Professor Masresha Fetene, an Emeritus Professor of Plant Ecophysiology at Addis Ababa University gave to The Ethiopian Herald said, “ The outstanding problems have been, the continued high rate of deforestation on the one hand, and the poor performance of national afforestation and rehabilitation efforts, on the other hand.
The immediate causes of deforestation are high population growth with increasing demand for forest products, such as fuel wood, charcoal, and construction wood; expansion of agriculture and resettlement programs.
One of the residents of Addis Ababa concerning the issue said, “The new initiative introduced by the Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa will play a significant role in making a green city. Apart from attracting a lot of tourists from various parts of the world, the new project will increase visitors’ length of stay. Moreover, as Addis Ababa is the diplomatic city of Africa, whenever African leaders come to the capital, they can spend their time there.
“As I am as busy as a bee, I will make an effort to partake in the campaign on the weekends in four months,” he concluded.
The Ethiopian herald December 24/2020
