Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative to Surpass its Goal of Planting 20 Billion Trees

June 7, 2022 (ENA) Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative to surpass its goal of planting 20 billion tree seedlings this rainy season, Prime Minister Office Press Secretary, Billene Seyoum.

In her Press Conference on Monday Billeni said the Green Legacy Initiative has been initiated in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to address various environmental challenges by promoting a green culture.

The plan was to plant 20 billion trees across the country over four years.

Accordingly, 4 billion seedlings were planted in 2019, including the infamous record-breaking 353 million seedlings in one day, while in 2020, 5 billion seedlings were planted. In 2021, over 6 billion trees have also been planted.

During the upcoming rainy season, the implementation of the initiative will be completed.  

"This year we mark the final year of the four year green legacy challenge which was embarked upon in 2019," she said.

According to her, over the past three years, 18 billion seedlings have already been planted across the country.

The 2022 edition of the Green Legacy Tree Panting Initiative will be launched within the next two weeks, she said noting Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is expected to surpass its goal of planting 20 billion tree seedlings this summer.

The seedlings include planting edible seedling varieties as well, she said.

According to her, this initiative in tandem with urban agriculture and backyard agriculture efforts is being promoted in effort to partially address food security needs to address globally rising food coast as well.

The initiative aimed at curbing the effects of climate change and deforestation in the country, it was learned.