“Me, Mr. Hailemariam, Mr. Mulatu and Mr. Demeke starting today, we will plant seedlings daily for the coming two months to plant 100 seedlings and we publicize that to the people” said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the launching event of the fourth year Green Legacy initiative last week at Entoto Botanical Garden.
These officials, yesterday’s and today’s top leaders of the country, current PM Abiy, the former PM Hailemariam Dessalegn, former President Mulatu Teshome and current Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen, agreed to apply the 100 seedling challenge during this rainy season of Ethiopia’s fourth year mass plantation.
As part of its four year Green Legacy initiative launched in 2019, Ethiopia started the fourth year seedling plantation with a goal of planting six billion seedlings across the country by mobilizing millions of citizens. During the launching ceremony at Entoto, current and previous top officials of Ethiopia, Ambassadors and Diplomatic Community based in Addis Ababa and public figures were attended the launching ceremony. All the attendants of the event have planted seedlings and left their finger prints at Entoto.
Ethiopia’s four year Green Legacy initiative challenge was launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to plant 20 billion seedlings and during the past three years, Ethiopia has planted 18 billion. During these greening years, the roles of the leadership in mobilizing the public and in leaving their finger prints were exemplary and the PM calls the leadership to continue their activities by planting 100 seedlings during this plantation season as a challenge.
Speaking to a local Media with regard to the 100 seedling challenge and the current Green Legacy initiative, the former Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn said that he and his predecessor as well as the current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) understands climate change an economy-wide issue and gives ample consideration with a view to diversifying energy sources and building a green economy. Accordingly, various greenery programs have been carried out by the successive governments to build green economy and to combat climate change and its impacts, Hailemariam stated.
Green Development strategy was applied and attracts donors. Beyond that, the objective of Green Development and the current Green Legacy is a sustainable project that must continue with generations. The project of Green Legacy started by understanding its significance and Ethiopia clearly understands the significance of green development even in the past and discussions were there. Ethiopia was also promoting Green Development and fighting for that at international forums, the ex-PM noted.
The significance of Green Legacy starts since climate change is becoming a threat equally both to the world and to our country. Climate change, for Hailemariam, is a serious threat to the planet, the people and all living things within the planet and to every individual. Hence, the significance of planting seedlings to increase the forest coverage begins from this real current situation of the earth.
“It is important to contribute your side in creating suitable environment for living in our surrounding, in our homes, in our villages to have harmonious climate even at micro-climate level” Hailemariam stated adding that to create suitable and beautiful environment in our surroundings, it is the responsibility of everyone to plant trees and to care for the environment.
“As it stands, currently climate change is a matter of life and death and serious threat and crisis for life. Even for our country drought during my child hood used to happen once in 15 or 20 years, but now drought is happening recurrently. There is no even smooth transition from one season to the next season which is an indication that the crisis is badly increasing from year to year” He elaborated. Though the environmental and climate crisis is the outcome of the general world activities and developments, it is affecting our life seriously.
“Since the beginning of the Green Legacy initiative three years ago, I became part of the initiative since the greenery effort was also a priority project during my career as PM. What makes the current Green Legacy initiative different from the previous green development efforts is the mass mobilization that mobilizes the country’s population massively. I became part of the mobilization to contribute my side for the achievement of the initiative,” he noted.
Noting he himself has planted over 600 various tree seedlings over the last three years, Hailemariam called on the people of Ethiopia to engage in the ongoing Green Legacy program cognizant of its multiple benefits. The participation of elders, youth, women and other members of the public would bring tangible outcomes in reducing the impacts of climate change and emission of gas.
“Personally, since I understand the significance of the green legacy early, I actively participated in planting trees during the past three years of Green Legacy Initiative. I planted 547 trees for forest coverage and 18 avocado trees, 21 apple trees, 19 banana trees and 53 Inset trees during the past three years to become part of the Green Legacy initiative” Hailemariam noted adding that from the fruit trees he planted three years ago, the Inset and Banana are starting production.
“From the Inset I planted three years ago, we started making Kocho (a traditional food prepared from Inset) and three Banana trees of the 19 are just bearing fruit” the ex-PM reiterated. Hence, Hailemariam said that he is not new in fulfilling the call of greenery challenges and he accepted the call of Prime Minister Abiy’s 100 seedling plantation challenge for higher officials.
“Recognizing the multiple importance of the Green Legacy initiative is the first step to curb the impact of climate change,” he argued and as he recognized the Green Legacy initiative, he announced to apply the 100 seedlings planting challenge of higher officials. “I am part of the competition and an avid supporter of Premier Abiy’s greenery campaign, cognizant of its success would enable us to overcome the pressing challenge.”
“From my three years plantation experience, the current challenge is not too much and I would realize it,” he underlined adding “I am ready even to plant beyond the target. I planted 15 seedlings in a single day, yesterday and it is easy to plant 100 trees within two months.”
“ I believe my contribution have a great importance in increasing the national and global efforts of combating climate change and that is why I am actively participating in the Green Legacy Initiative to leave my finger prints,” the former PM argued calling all citizens to plant trees and to actively engage in the Green Legacy initiative mobilization. According to him, as the Green Legacy program has far-reaching benefits to reduce impacts of climate change and curb carbon dioxide emission, the consolidated efforts of all actors is crucial for the successful conduct of this generational cause.
According to Hailemariam by planting trees, the world can control one-third of the carbon emission to the environment while two-third can be controlled by expanding green energy and minimizing the use of charcoal and other fuels. Hence, for him, since everyone has the opportunity to plant trees easily and this can contribute a lot in combating desertification, climate change and in controlling natural disasters, he calls for all citizens to leave their finger prints in this green legacy initiative.
The 100 seedling planting challenge is not only for government officials, it is a challenge for every citizen to apply during this plantation season. The challenge for the officials is as an appetite to mobilize the mass and the officials are already starting planting the trees by accepting the challenge.
BY DARGIE KAHSAY
The Ethiopian Herald 28 June 2022
