- Forest cover increases by 6.4 percent in 5 years
ADDIS ABABA– The 2024 Green Legacy program aims to reach 40 billion seedlings, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) said, mentioning the need to plant 7.5 saplings to achieve such a goal.
The Premier made the above remark during the 2024 Green Legacy pre-launch program held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday.
Noting this year’s Green Legacy Program will be held under the principle of ‘A Planting Country, A Sustainable Generation,’ Abiy (PhD) indicated that planting and nurturing seedlings is the responsibility of the current generation. “From this point of view, everyone who wants to leave a good country for their children should invest by planting saplings today.”
“If we do not plant and take care of our soil resources today, we may reach a point where we will not be able to recover. A cut-down tree can be replaced within 10 years, but the depleted soil will not be replaced in a thousand years,” he said, emphasizing the damage that soil erosion can cause.
The Prime Minister further highlighted that climate change will not be addressed by rhetoric but rather by heroes who have planted seedlings. In this regard, Ethiopia has been registering commendable results in planting coffee, vegetable, and fruit saplings since the launching of the Green Legacy Program.
“Planting is independent of any political ideology. Our vote count varies during elections. But at the time of planting, 120 million people are counted as one. Accordingly, all Ethiopians should participate in the greenery program.”
During the Green Legacy pre-launch program, Ethiopia’s forest cover report was launched. The report indicated that by 2023, the country’s forest cover had increased to 23.6% from 17.2% in 2019. In his remarks, Premier Abiy emphasized the need to continue building on this progress.
The report was followed by the premiere of an international documentary film that captures the essence and impact of the Green Legacy Program through human stories, according to the Office of the Prime Minister.
For the past five years, Ethiopia has diligently pursued an annual planting program under the Green Legacy Initiative, originated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019. On Friday, the country marked the beginning of the 2024 planting cycle, reflecting collectively on the impact of the people’s efforts over the past five years.
BY STAFF REPORTER
The Ethiopian Herald June 23/2024
