Ethiopia's ambitious Green Legacy Initiative has successfully boosted forest coverage within the country's national parks to 10%, according to a government official.

The flagship government program, which has seen billions of trees planted over the past few years, is having a significant impact on the nation's environment, said Ethiopia’s State Minister of Tourism, Sileshi Girma.

"The Green Legacy has lots of impact in enhancing the significant areas forest coverage,” the minister told Sputnik Africa on the sidelines of the annual conference of the Global Wildlife Program in Addis Ababa.

Beyond the notable reforestation efforts, Sileshi highlighted the initiative's crucial role in bolstering food security. He pointed to tangible results, including increased harvests of fruits and vegetables and the promotion of urban farming across the country.

The minister also outlined the institutional framework supporting these efforts, citing a comprehensive suite of environment protection policies and proclamations being implemented from the national to the regional level.