Ethiopia Plants 6.5 Billion Seedlings So Far Toward 8 Billion 2026 Green Legacy Planting Season Target – PM Abiy

Addis Ababa, August 3, 2026 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia has planted 6.5 billion seedlings so far toward the more than 8 billion-seedling target set for the 2026 Green Legacy planting season, describing the progress as a demonstration of the country’s capacity to translate ambitious plans into action through collective effort.

The Prime Minister made the remarks following the successful completion of Ethiopia’s one-day Green Legacy planting campaign held on Monday, during which 805.3 million seedlings were planted within 12 hours with the participation of 26.2 million citizens across the country.

Prime Minister Abiy said the achievement demonstrated what Ethiopians can accomplish when they unite around shared goals, noting that the one-day milestone reflected the country’s ability to turn ambitious national plans into reality through collective action.

He said the success of the campaign showed Ethiopia’s capacity to achieve major national objectives, adding that the voluntary participation of 26.2 million citizens, who worked throughout the day and largely under rainy conditions, represented a remarkable display of national commitment and unity.

The Prime Minister noted that the participation of all sections of society, including elders, youth, women, children, persons with disabilities and other citizens, provided a strong demonstration of national solidarity and offered renewed hope and confidence for the future.

He expressed gratitude to all Ethiopians who contributed to the achievement, including those involved in seedling preparation, land preparation, geolocation-based technical support, data reporting and planting activities.

Prime Minister Abiy called on Ethiopians to sustain the same spirit of cooperation, unity and determination demonstrated through the Green Legacy Initiative to advance other national development efforts and build a prosperous, green and sustainable Ethiopia for future generations.

Since its launch in 2019, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative has become a nationwide environmental restoration campaign aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, expanding forest coverage, rehabilitating ecosystems and strengthening the country’s resilience against climate impacts.

By the end of 2025, Ethiopia had planted about 48 billion seedlings through successive Green Legacy campaigns. With 6.5 billion seedlings planted so far during the 2026 Green Legacy planting season, the country’s cumulative achievement has now reached about 54.5 billion seedlings.

The 2026 Green Legacy planting season is targeting more than 8 billion seedlings, which is expected to raise the cumulative total to about 56 billion seedlings upon completion of this year’s campaign. Ethiopia has set a broader ambition of reaching 65 billion planted seedlings by 2027.