Addis Ababa, June 27, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia has planted 11 billion seedlings in tributary areas of the Nile Basin over the past six years as part of its nationwide Green Legacy Program, Agriculture Minister Girma Amente (PhD) announced during the grand launch of the 2025 planting season.
This year’s planting campaign, conducted under the theme “Renewal Through Planting,” targets the planting of 7.5 billion seedlings nationwide.
Minister Girma highlighted that the Green Legacy Program has been implemented using scientific approaches that have led to significant improvements in coffee production and yields.
He stressed Ethiopia’s advantage in having suitable soil and climate conditions, which the program leverages to enhance sustainable soil and water resource conservation.
Despite these conditions, Minister Girma acknowledged that nearly half of the country’s land has suffered degradation due to insufficient focus on natural resource protection, with approximately seven million hectares affected by soil acidity.
To address this challenge, the government is implementing integrated watershed development alongside the Green Legacy Program, involving community participation to rehabilitate degraded lands. These efforts, intensified over recent years, have begun yielding positive results in formerly degraded areas.
The Minister underscored that the Green Legacy Program is active across all 12 of Ethiopia’s river basins, with the Nile Basin receiving particular focus.
He noted that the vegetation cover in the Nile Basin has increased from 19 percent to 25 percent since the program’s inception, an improvement that also supports the longevity and sustainability of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).
Minister Girma emphasized that the communities responsible for building the GERD are also actively engaged in environmental conservation efforts that extend the dam’s service life.
Highlighting further environmental successes, the Minister reported that soil erosion per hectare of agricultural land has been reduced significantly, from 130 tons to 54 tons over the last six years, a testament to the program’s effectiveness in sustainable land management.
He concluded by praising the impressive results from restoring degraded areas and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to intensifying sustainable soil and water conservation measures moving forward.
Earlier at the launch, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) framed the Green Legacy as a fundamental part of Ethiopia’s nation-building efforts, calling on all citizens to participate in planting activities as a collective effort toward renewal and resilience.
He underscored the program’s role in fostering food sovereignty, environmental protection, and international recognition, urging Ethiopians to actively engage in the campaign beginning immediately.