Addis Ababa, July 15, 2025 (FMC) — Members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) will plant 18 million tree seedlings during this year’s Green Legacy planting season, according to Chief of Staff Field Marshal Berhanu Jula.
The Chief of Staff made the announcement during the official launch of the Ministry of Defense’s tree planting campaign, held this morning at ENDF Headquarters in Addis Ababa.
He noted that the ENDF has actively contributed to the Green Legacy Initiative since its inception by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) in 2019, supporting nationwide reforestation efforts and environmental conservation.
Starting today, members of the national defense forces will plant saplings in areas where they are currently deployed across the country. This year’s campaign is being conducted under the theme “From Our Camp to Our People,” reflecting the military’s broader commitment to national development and community engagement.
The launch ceremony was attended by senior Ethiopian military officials, military attachés from various countries, and invited guests.
The ENDF’s 18 million sapling contribution is part of Ethiopia’s larger goal for the 2025 Green Legacy season, which was officially launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on June 27, 2025, under the theme “Renewal through Planting.” This year’s national target is to plant over 7.5 billion seedlings during the main rainy season.
According to government reports, over 8.4 billion seedlings have already been prepared in nurseries across the country, surpassing initial targets. As of mid-July, approximately 2.5 billion seedlings had already been planted, with additional campaigns underway in both rural and urban areas.
Since the launch of the Green Legacy Initiative in 2019, Ethiopia has planted more than 40 billion seedlings, making the program one of the most ambitious reforestation efforts in the world. The country aims to reach 47.5 billion seedlings by the end of the 2025 campaign, and 54 billion by the end of 2026 planting season, in a continued effort to combat climate change, rehabilitate degraded land, and enhance ecological resilience.
The Green Legacy also includes broad soil and water conservation interventions across 3.7 million hectares, including planting on nearly 2 million hectares of land. The national mobilization has involved schools, local communities, government institutions, and the defense forces alike—signaling a whole-of-society commitment to environmental renewal.