Addis Ababa:United Nations and African forestry experts have commended Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) as a leading model for large-scale environmental restoration in Africa. The initiative's reliance on science-based policies and agroforestry is highlighted as crucial for sustaining its achievements and enhancing community livelihoods.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Juliette Biao, Director of the Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, described the Green Legacy Initiative as an ambitious effort and stressed the importance of learning from past experiences to ensure its long-term success. Biao expressed the necessity of integrating lessons learned to prevent repeating past mistakes, which would benefit not only Ethiopia but also the global community.
Biao noted her involvement in the initiative from its inception, as she was serving as Regional Director for Africa at the United Nations Environment Programme when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched the Green Legacy Initiative in 2019. She emphasized Africa's efforts to link scientific knowledge with policymaking, particularly through the Science Policy Information Network (SPIN) for Africa.
She further emphasized that tree planting should be part of a broader land restoration strategy, cautioning against the assumption that planting trees alone can reverse land degradation. Biao recommended the incorporation of agroforestry, which can combine environmental restoration with economic opportunities for rural communities, allowing them to benefit from restored landscapes while contributing to forest conservation.
Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative has increasingly integrated economically valuable crops and trees, such as avocado, mango, apple, and papaya, alongside coffee and other agricultural activities. This approach has strengthened the link between environmental restoration, food production, and household incomes.
Doris Mutta, a forest scientist and Senior Program Officer at the African Forest Forum, also recognized Ethiopia's GLI as a prominent example of environmental restoration in Africa. She highlighted the significant mobilization efforts to generate and plant millions of seedlings, which have led to noticeable improvements in forest cover.
Mutta suggested that Ethiopia's experience could serve as a valuable guide for other African countries aiming to restore degraded landscapes and improve climate resilience. The first SPIN Africa Regional Science Policy Dialogue on forestry, hosted by Ethiopia, gathered policymakers, scientists, and forestry experts to enhance the integration of scientific evidence into forest management and restoration policies.
The experts' assessments underline the growing significance of Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative beyond its national environmental goals. With a continued focus on science-based restoration, agroforestry, and community participation, the initiative could offer practical lessons for advancing forest restoration, food production, and climate resilience across Africa.
