–Some 25 bln seedlings to be planted
BY MESERET BEHAILU
ADDIS ABABA –Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) launched yesterday the 2nd phase of the Green Legacy Initiative, which planned to plant 25 billion seedlings in the Afar State.
In his twitter post, the Premier stated that the second phase which will be held under the theme “Let’s plant our future today” follows the successful first phase in which the country planted 25 billion seedlings. In the second phase, Ethiopia plans to plan another 25 billion.
Abiy pointed out that out of the 25 billion seedlings that are planned to be planted in the second phase, 60 percent are mixed forest seedlings, 35 percent forest seedlings, and five percent seedlings used for urban beauty. Among the seedlings that will be planted are indigenous seedlings that can withstand the impact of climate change.
“The Green Legacy is a legacy for generations to come. It’s our local approach to tackling climate change and environmental degradation. It is one of our means to creating job opportunities. And it is also one means of enabling food security through planting edible seedlings.”
Sources closer to the issue said that the Green Legacy initiative is of great significance to reduce Ethiopia’s vulnerability to desertification by planting tree seedlings nationwide. It is also improves forest conservation, reforestation, and the restoration of degraded land and soil. Besides, it is important to ameliorate the promotion of sustainable forest management. Though the country planned to plant 20 billion tree seedlings, the initiative has concluded with the planting of 25 billion seedlings through the mobilization of more than 20 million citizens throughout the country in the first phase. The initiative helped prepare over 120,000 nurseries that created over 767,000 jobs, mostly for women and youth, those sources indicated.
By the same token, Ethiopia has distributed different types of plants to the neighboring countries in the first phase aiming at combating climate change and securing food through concerted effort in the region.
States chiefs, ministers, and other senior government officials attended the launching the 2nd Green Legacy Initiative in Afar.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 9 JUNE 2023
