During a recent closing program of integrated environmental protection and basin development campaign, Oromia state announced that successful environmental protection and basin development works were achieved during this year’s two months free service environmental caring campain across the region.
Deputy Head of Oromia Bureau of Agriculture Elias Kedir attending the summer integrated environmental protection and basin development camping in West Harerghe Zone of Goro Gutu Woreda stated that over 2.4 million hectare of land was covered by the 60 days environmental protection free service campaign in Oromia. According to him, in mountainous areas there was a plan to build terrace of 1.1 million kilometers, adding 95 percent of the target plan was achieved.
In addition to making terraces and other water and soil conservation activities of the environmental protection campaign, according to the deputy head, during the summer environmental protection campaign preparations for the fourth year green legacy initiative was also part of the environmental protection campaign across the region. Preparing holes and other preparation activities were successfully carried during the sixty days environmental protection free service campaign by mobilizing the people across the region.
Meanwhile, for the fourth year national green legacy initiative, Oromia state plans to prepare 4.8 billion seedlings and so far 3.9 billion seedlings are already prepared, according to Elias.
On the other hand, Amhara Regional State Agriculture Bureau recently stated that successful environmental protection works were carried out across the region during January and February months. By mobilizing the people of the region, Amhara state plan was to cover over 250 thousand hectares area by the environmental protection, water and soil conservation works campaign during the summer free service public duty, Bureau head Hailemariam Kefyalew (PhD) said.
According to Hailemariam during the 2022 summer environment protection and soil and water conservation works, the regional state plans to cover more than 250 thousand hectares of land, adding over 90 percent of the target plan was achieved. For him, the summer voluntary environment protection service campaign was joined by the working population of the region, mainly the farmers.
Meanwhile, Sidama Regional State Agriculture Bureau head, Mesfin Karie on his part also stated that by mobilizing 1.2 million people across the state, the bureau was planned to cover 108 thousand hectares of land under 646 sub basins during the summer environment protection campaign. The attention in Sidama was mainly on basin development and restoring affected areas especially mountainous areas across the regional state.
By focusing on recovering affected areas and building terraces in mountainous areas, Sidama regional state is using the opportunity to develop its agricultural activities. Through proper implementation of different environment protection and soil conservation mechanisms, the regional state is increasing coverage of coffee agriculture and expanding animal farming using the recovered affected areas, according to head of the bureau.
According to Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) the National Basin Development and Environment Protection works carrying-out every year is scoring remarkable outcomes in recovering affected areas, restoring biodiversities and proper conservation of ecosystems. Annually, the public mobilization of the general public’s investment in conserving and protecting environment is minimizing vulnerability of environment related hazards and increasing restorations of ecosystems and biodiversities.
By promoting this platform, organized youth and women are investing and producing forest products, animal fodder, fruits and vegetables by recovering affected areas especially in basins and mountainous areas. MoA stated that holding certificate is also providing to these organized people that invest on environmental protection and on using it for commercial purposes.
According to MoA during the 2022 summer free service water and soil conservation campaign, Ethiopia plans to cover 2.5 million hectares by focusing on terrace and flood controlling works. The performance was remarkable and huge environmental protection works mainly terrace development and other water and soil conservation activities were carried-out successfully.
State Minister of Agriculture Professor Iyasu Elias recently said that that deforestation, soil erosion and other environment factors are forcing the country to experience repeated drought and droughts driven impacts for long period of time. To solve these climates related problems due to environmental changes that have the possibility of controlling, the Ethiopian government creates new programs to further its investment on environmental protection and recovery of the affected areas, MoA reported.
The integrated basin development and environment protection initiative is becoming more productive in increasing the participation of the public and to make the activities more productive. Through this initiative, the green initiative program is also increasingly supporting the country’s forest coverage development.
According to MoA the Ethiopia is preparing 6.7 billion seedlings for the upcoming fourth year green legacy initiative and the summer nature protection activities across the country help the preparation smooth. During this year’s green legacy initiative, Ethiopia gives due attention to fruits, commercial trees and in addition to the plantation to increase its forest coverage.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL 2022
