Addis ababa: Independent, peer-reviewed scientific research has validated the effectiveness of Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) in restoring degraded ecosystems, mitigating climate change, strengthening agricultural productivity, and improving rural livelihoods.According to Ethiopian News Agency, studies published in leading international journals, including Nature Scientific Reports, Elsevier, and Springer, conclude that the initiative has achieved an estimated seedling survival rate of about 80 percent through scientific forestry practices and strong community stewardship.Research indicates that forest cover in some areas increased from 27.64 percent to 38.24 percent within six years, while local land surface temperatures declined by as much as 1.16 degrees Celsius, creating more favorable conditions for agriculture and enhancing climate resilience. Further studies employing artificial intelligence and geospatial analysis project continued forest expansion through 2035, identifying Ethiopia's e xceptional level of voluntary public participation, described as climate patriotism, as a principal driver behind the initiative's success.Since its launch in May 2019, the GLI has evolved from a nationwide tree planting campaign into one of Africa's most comprehensive environmental restoration and green development programs. Introduced under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's leadership, the initiative was designed to reverse deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, declining agricultural productivity, and vulnerability to climate change.Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, launching the 2026 Green Legacy one-day tree planting campaign, urged Ethiopians to plant 800 million tree seedlings. Participating at the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence University in Addis Ababa, he described the initiative as an investment in the country's future, emphasizing that trees symbolize hope, renewal, and collective responsibility.The initiative has expanded beyond increasing forest cover over seven consecutive rainy season s. It integrates ecosystem restoration with agricultural transformation, food security, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, watershed rehabilitation, livelihood improvement, and green economic development.Ethiopia, facing severe environmental degradation, introduced the GLI at a critical time. Decades of deforestation had accelerated soil erosion, reduced soil fertility, depleted water resources, and weakened agricultural productivity. Given agriculture's role as the backbone of Ethiopia's economy, restoring degraded landscapes became essential for environmental sustainability and strengthening rural incomes and food security.The first Green Legacy campaign in 2019 exceeded its goal by planting approximately 4.7 billion seedlings. The campaign attracted global attention after more than 350 million seedlings were planted in a single day, showcasing unprecedented nationwide mobilization.In subsequent years, Ethiopia expanded the campaign, overcoming challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued increasing its annual planting targets. By 2025, Ethiopia prepared more than 8.4 billion seedlings, emphasizing coffee seedlings, fruit trees, fodder species, indigenous trees, and agroforestry systems to enhance sustainability and rural livelihoods.Scientific studies demonstrate that landscape restoration strengthens agriculture's ecological foundation. Reforestation reduces soil erosion, restores soil fertility, conserves moisture, moderates temperatures, and improves pollinator habitats. Agroforestry systems promoted under the initiative increase crop productivity and supply fruits, coffee, fodder, timber, fuelwood, medicinal plants, and honey, diversifying incomes and enhancing rural resilience.The GLI has generated substantial socioeconomic benefits, with millions of Ethiopians participating annually in seedling production, nursery management, transportation, planting, maintenance, and watershed rehabilitation. Community nurseries, youth cooperatives, and women-led enterprises have created employment opportunities while improving access to quality seedlings.Development partners increasingly recognize the initiative as an effective ecosystem-based adaptation strategy, strengthening smallholder farmers' resilience, restoring degraded watersheds, and enabling vulnerable communities to withstand climate-related shocks.Scientific research highlights lessons to strengthen future implementation, recommending improved post-planting management, monitoring systems, community ownership, and species selection to maximize long-term benefits.Today, the Green Legacy Initiative has evolved into a long-term national development strategy that integrates environmental restoration with agricultural transformation, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, watershed rehabilitation, food security, employment creation, and sustainable livelihoods. As Ethiopia continues its commitment to a greener, more productive, and climate-resilient economy, the initiative's measurable benefits extend beyond each planti ng season.
Wednesday, August 05, 2026