GLI Significantly Enhancing Soil Conservation: Ministry of Agriculture

Addis Ababa, June 28, 2025 (ENA)— Ministry of Agriculture emphasized that Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is making significant strides in soil conservation and environmental restoration efforts.

Speaking at the launch of this year’s GLI, Girma Amente, Minister of Agriculture, emphasized the initiative’s transformative impact.

 Under the theme: “Renewal through Planting,” Ethiopia aims to plant 7.5 billion seedlings nationwide this year.

 The Minister noted that scientific approaches have been applied in the implementation of the GLI resulting in tangible improvements in agricultural productivity, particularly in coffee yields.

 He noted that the initiative plays a crucial role in the sustainable management of Ethiopia’s soil and water resources, capitalizing on the country’s favorable climate and soil conditions.

 Acknowledged the ongoing environmental challenges and years of inadequate attention to natural resource management, the minister emphasized that approximately half of the country’s land has been degraded, with an estimated seven million hectares affected by soil acidity.

 To address this, the government is intensifying efforts through integrated watershed development programs and community-based GLI activities, he noted, adding these efforts have already begun reversing land degradation in several regions.

 The program is being implemented across 12 major watersheds, with particular focus on the Nile River Basin. Of the 40 billion tree seedlings planted over the past six years, 11 billion were planted within the basin.

 Minister Girma emphasized that alongside the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Green Footprint Program is contributing to extending the dam’s lifespan by enhancing the basin’s vegetation cover, which has grown from 19 percent to 25 percent.

 He also revealed that soil erosion has been significantly reduced, with soil loss per hectare of agricultural land dropping from 130 tons to 54 tons since the program’s inception six years ago.

The Minister underscored that the encouraging outcomes seen in rehabilitated areas are a testament to the program’s success, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to further strengthening sustainable soil and water conservation efforts.