Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday launched an ambitious environmental scheme to plant four billion trees in a bid to head off deforestation across the country.
The project is looking to mobilizing its citizens for a massive national reforestation exercise in which one individual will plant at least 40 tree seedlings.
The four billion tree seedlings are expected to be planted this summer for which a ministerial committee led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been set up to facilitate the exercise.
Ethiopia’s forest cover has reportedly been depleted in recent years due to mainly wildfires that ravaged at least three national parks.
According to Ethiopia’s Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission, the initiative would help to cover more than a million hectares of land with forest.
Prior to the official launching program, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had held talks with national agricultural transformation leaders on ways of realizing the project.
The premier has made a public appeal for Ethiipians from all walks of life to champion the National Green Development project to be implemented during the upcoming rainy season across the country.
This is the second national reafforestation project. The first was held ten years ago when it celebrated its 2nd millennium.
MG/as/APA