Gov’t rallies Ethiopians to plant 700 million trees, leave a legacy of renewal for future generations

Addis Ababa, July 25, 2025 (FMC) — Ethiopia is set to launch a record-breaking nationwide campaign to plant 700 million tree seedlings in a single day on July 31, 2025, marking the start of the 7th year of the Green Legacy Initiative. The Government Communication Service (GCS) has called on all Ethiopians to be part of this historic moment and reaffirm their commitment to greening the nation.

Over the past six years, the Green Legacy campaign has mobilized citizens from across Ethiopia and the diaspora, from the highlands to the lowlands, resulting in the planting of more than 40 billion trees. This effort has helped raise the country’s forest cover to 23% as of last year, with further gains expected as millions more seedlings take root.

According to the GCS, this year’s planting drive will contribute to the broader target of 7.5 billion seedlings planned for the 2025 Ethiopian rainy season, bringing the seven-year total to nearly 48 billion. More than 8.5 billion seedlings—comprising forest, fruit-bearing, and ornamental species—have been prepared for this season’s planting.

The campaign goes beyond environmental restoration. The Green Legacy is also a strategic response to climate change, a tool to enhance food sovereignty through fruit tree cultivation, and a protective measure against siltation for Ethiopia’s vital dam infrastructure. GCS noted that the initiative has helped reduce reliance on fruit imports and enabled exports of high-demand crops like avocados.

“This is about more than planting trees,” the statement read. “It is about securing our future—protecting our environment, strengthening our food systems, and preserving the infrastructure we built with our blood, sweat, and resources.”

Ethiopia plans to share its Green Legacy experience with other countries at the upcoming 2nd Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in September in Addis Ababa , positioning the campaign as a model for the continent’s climate resilience efforts.

“All Ethiopians—young and old, from public institutions to the private sector—are called upon to plant and grow for a greener Ethiopia,” GCS urged. “Let us once again make history and pass down a legacy of renewal to future generations.”