Addis Ababa, August 2, 2026 (FMC) — Across Ethiopia’s mountains, valleys, farmlands and urban landscapes, a remarkable transformation has been unfolding — a national effort that begins with a seedling but reaches far beyond planting trees, touching ecosystems, livelihoods, food systems and the country’s vision for a sustainable future.
Launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019, the Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) emerged as Ethiopia’s ambitious response to decades of environmental degradation, deforestation, soil erosion and the growing impacts of climate change. Built on the belief that restoring nature is inseparable from building prosperity, the initiative has grown into one of the largest environmental restoration movements in Africa and a symbol of Ethiopia’s commitment to climate action.
The Green Legacy Initiative was designed not simply as a tree-planting campaign, but as a comprehensive national transformation agenda aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, expanding forest coverage, protecting natural resources, improving agricultural productivity and creating a greener economic future.
Since its launch, millions of Ethiopians have participated in the initiative every year, contributing to the planting of more than 48 billion seedlings across the country. The scale of the effort has continued to expand annually, with Ethiopia planting 4.7 billion seedlings in 2019, 5.9 billion in 2020, 6.8 billion in 2021, 7.2 billion in 2022, 7.5 billion in 2023, 7.5 billion in 2024, and around 8 billion seedlings in 2025.
In 2026, Ethiopia is targeting the planting of 8.5 billion additional seedlings, including the historic planting of 800 million seedlings in a single-day national campaign on August 3. The achievement is expected to raise the country’s total planted seedlings since 2019 to around 56 billion, as Ethiopia moves toward its ambitious goal of reaching 65 billion planted seedlings by the end of the 2027 Green Legacy campaign ahead of hosting COP32.
The impact of the initiative is increasingly visible across the country. Areas once affected by severe land degradation are being rehabilitated through reforestation, afforestation and landscape restoration efforts. Increased vegetation cover has helped improve soil protection, reduce erosion, restore biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems that communities depend on for their livelihoods.
One of the most significant contributions of the Green Legacy Initiative has been its role in protecting Ethiopia’s water resources. Forest restoration and watershed rehabilitation have improved water retention capacity, reduced soil runoff and supported the recovery of natural ecosystems surrounding rivers, lakes and other water bodies.
As the source of the Blue Nile and home to several major river systems, Ethiopia’s environmental restoration efforts have wider significance for water sustainability. By restoring degraded landscapes in highland areas, where many rivers originate, the initiative contributes to protecting watersheds, improving groundwater recharge and strengthening the ecological foundations of Ethiopia’s water resources, including the Nile basin.
The benefits of the Green Legacy Initiative extend strongly into agriculture, the backbone of Ethiopia’s economy. By improving soil health, conserving water and restoring degraded agricultural landscapes, the initiative is helping create more productive farming environments and strengthening the country’s pursuit of food security.
A key feature of the initiative has been the expansion of multipurpose and fruit-bearing trees, including avocado, mango, papaya and other valuable species. These trees provide food, generate income opportunities, support nutrition and contribute to the development of agricultural value chains. The growing production of fruits and other tree-based products is creating opportunities for domestic markets and future export potential, while helping farmers diversify their livelihoods.
The restoration of forests and flowering vegetation has also supported the growth of beekeeping and honey production, providing additional income sources for communities while contributing to biodiversity conservation.
Beyond ecological recovery, the Green Legacy Initiative is becoming an important pillar of Ethiopia’s green economy ambitions. It supports nature-based livelihoods, encourages sustainable agricultural practices and complements the country’s broader transition toward renewable energy and environmentally responsible development.
The initiative also represents Ethiopia’s response to the global climate crisis. As climate change intensifies challenges such as drought, flooding, land degradation and ecosystem disruption, Ethiopia has placed nature-based solutions at the center of its climate resilience strategy.
Through expanding forest cover and restoring landscapes, the Green Legacy Initiative contributes to climate mitigation by increasing carbon absorption while strengthening adaptation by helping communities and ecosystems better withstand environmental pressures.
The scale and vision of the initiative have attracted growing attention from continental and global environmental stakeholders. It has been recognized as an example of how large-scale citizen participation, political commitment and nature-based solutions can be combined to address climate and environmental challenges.
The initiative aligns with global efforts on ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection and climate action, demonstrating how developing countries can pursue environmental protection while advancing economic growth and social development.
At its heart, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative represents a commitment to future generations — a vision of transforming degraded lands into productive ecosystems, protecting vital natural resources and creating a more resilient nation.