BY ADDISALEM MUALT
It is to be recalled that, following Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s green legacy initiative, Ethiopians residing in several parts of the country managed to plant billions of trees in the left, right, and center of the country with flying colors.
From this point of view, they were able to win the hearts and minds of people everywhere and turned out to be the talk of every Tom, Dick, and Harry within the shortest possible timeframe.
In the same way, the premier revolutionized the old-thought that climate change is secondary to other things. He already made climate change a top priority bringing millions of people in turnout to share his visions of greening the country.
He displayed more action but less rhetoric engaging himself in day and night times tree planting and watering activities setting the models for others.
In the same manner, Ethiopia has proved to be the talk of everyone and ended up winning the attention of each and every one in a short space of time. In earlier times, as the awareness level of people residing almost in most parts of the country were not that high, they were unceasingly getting off track and exposing themselves to danger every once in a while.
On the basis thereof, the circumstance was moving into uncharted waters and getting off track on numerous occasions.
It is no secret that planting tree seedlings in multifarious parts of the country in most instances in deforested areas is instrumental in heightening the forest coverage of the country beyond a shadow of a doubt. Speaking of which, the Premier has been making the unthinkable thinkable and the impossible possible working concurrently with high-ranking government officials and community members of the country.
The multifarious zeal and determination brought into the plantations by the Premier should be taken up by Ethiopians residing throughout the territory.
In the old days, the TPLF officials were not that interested to place importance on planting tree seedlings throughout the territory except moving heaven and earth in pursuance of fattening their pockets at the expense of their compatriots.
In the same spirit, they were persistently turning a deaf ear when the general public partook in cutting down forests, increasing livestock farming, and so forth.
Ethiopia’s growth is strappingly hooked on what all and sundry do to protect forests positioned in every nook and cranny of the country heedless of age, sexual category, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and things of that sort.
Unless all Ethiopians emphasize rehabilitating degraded lands, the existence of the various dams of the country will be under a question mark. Taking the aforesaid reality into consideration, the wider community should work like two peas in a pod for the love of ensuring sustainable development of forest resources throughout the national territory.
At the current juncture, on the grounds of quite a lot of influences, climate change is becoming a threat to population as a whole by throwing cold water on the efforts of public in general. If not, all and sundry act at once and put themselves out in close association with concerned bodies, the predicaments will keep on coming to naught.
Prof. Masresha Fetene, an Emeritus Professor of Plant Ecophysiology at Addis Ababa University concerning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s initiative said, “This is an excellent initiative. The enthusiasm generated is truly unbelievable. Anything that is espoused by high government
officials has always a better chance of implementation. No leader of this country has ever been as engaged in tree planting as Prime Minister Dr. Abiy. It is a historical opportunity to seize.
“There are many reasons why this campaign is important. The first of these is the fact that it has increased people’s awareness of the benefits of environmental protection and tree planting.
The motivation, gusto, and interest we observed, especially in the young, has been phenomenal. We have seen people taking responsibility and planting tree seedlings in thousands in areas designated and provided by authorities. What is also good about the campaign is that it brought the importance of planting fruit trees.”
The whole lot in connection with planting tree seedlings in various parts of the country is heading in the right direction from time to time. If the broader audience keeps on taking part in planting tree seedlings on a national scale, the envisioned target can be achieved in a short time without a doubt.
The Ethiopian herald January 1/2021
