Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced that a record-breaking 800.5 million tree seedlings were planted in a single day across Ethiopia on Monday.
Announcing the completion of planting the planned 800 million seedlings in a day, Ahmed said the record-setting day is part of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative that aims to reinforce the country’s commitment to fighting climate change and promoting sustainable development.
According to the prime minister, over 26.2 million Ethiopians participated in the nationwide tree planting campaign.
The premier added that over 6.5 billion seedlings have been planted this Ethiopian year alone, and the remaining 1.5 billion will be planted in the coming months.
Abiy said that the annual nationwide one-day planting effort is “a moment when Ethiopians from all walks of life come together to create a lasting legacy for generations to come.”
“Eight years of consistent action. The Green Legacy Initiative continues to grow stronger, driven by public commitment and the shared belief that, together, Ethiopians can nurture a greener, more sustainable future,” Abiy said on X, formerly Twitter, after planting seedlings.
With the addition of more than 8 billion new tree seedlings this year, the country aims to surpass its ambitious goal of planting 50 billion trees since the launch of the Green Legacy Initiative back in 2019.
The initiative has become a flagship national environmental program aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, expanding the country’s lost forest cover, strengthening climate resilience by combating deforestation, conserving biodiversity, and fostering sustainable development through mass tree planting and ecosystem restoration.
MG/as/APA