By: Fitsum Getachew
For the last seven years, Ethiopians have been planting billions of tree seedlings not only during the rainy season but throughout the year as well, thanks to the Green Legacy Initiative. This program was conceived, initiated, and launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (Ph.D.) in 2019. Just a few days ago, more than 700 million seedlings were planted in one day alone. Ethiopians have come to realize that trees and greenery must be part of their day-to-day life. They have come to understand that without trees, their lives would be at risk, as there would eventually not be enough food for all. In fact, one of the positive results of the Green Legacy Initiative is that it can lead us to full self-reliance for food security in the country.
Given that a good percentage of the planted tree seedlings are fruits, this will have a positive impact on food security, in addition to contributing to the country's exports. Coffee is another item that has expanded significantly because many coffee seedlings have been planted. There is still great potential in this area because Ethiopia already enjoys a strong reputation for its high-quality coffee.
The Ministry of Agriculture has reported that the Green Legacy Initiative has increased the country's forest cover from around 17% to 23%, which is a huge leap. Without the right percentage of forest covering the country, Ethiopia would lose a part of its fertile land to soil erosion. The forests can restore barren land to its previous condition, making it good and fit for plowing. This reforestation is a wonderful means of stopping the continuous erosion of the soil.
For years and years, humans have abused their habitat, destroying it for immediate gratification without considering the long-term negative consequences. Many rich countries have used the planet's natural resources recklessly and excessively to enrich themselves without too many worries for the planet. Apparently, they never bothered to think that resources are limited while their desires and needs were unlimited.
Even after some scholars, academics, and more thoughtful and responsible people began to warn about the long-term negative consequences of recklessly using natural resources, the trend continued unabated for years. The excessive use of fossil fuel and the excessive felling of trees to construct more houses and other projects due to fast urbanization should have been done with more caution.
The continuous rise in the planet's temperature was detected by academics in environmental studies, followed by warnings. It was a direct consequence of how we use the natural resources at our disposal. We should have used the resources with caution, taking into consideration that there could be a long-term negative outcome for the planet. When recycling was possible, we did not resort to it. We saw our planet getting more and more deprived of its green nature, and no one seemed to bother much.
Meanwhile, the earth has continued to get warmer, and visible changes in the climate were observed. Drought became a periodic occurrence, and that in turn was alternated by vast amounts of rain, resulting in disastrous floods. These phenomena were borne by developing countries that relied heavily on rain-fed agriculture, and droughts became a cause of food shortages. Many countries in Africa have been victims of these climatic aberrations. This phenomenon has been labeled as 'El Niño'.
In short, just as much as we have experienced aridity and a consequent scarcity of food, leading to famine in certain areas, we have also experienced excessive amounts of rainfall outside the usual seasons. The negative fallout was more severe in poorer countries, which lack the necessary economic resources to overcome these climate-related challenges.
In the meantime, scientists have repeatedly warned that we are gambling with the lives of our children and grandchildren. We are leaving them a legacy of disasters and catastrophes, and the very existence of life on earth could be in jeopardy. Already, many islands are at severe risk of being engulfed by water and sinking. Many countries very near to coastal areas are exposed to floods when there are huge amounts of rainfall. The aridity of the climate has led to the initiation of wildfires that have devastated many forests.
This state of affairs is definitely a result of the way industrialization has been realized. The excessive use of fossil fuels and too much pollution has resulted in the heating of the atmosphere. In many cities around the world, unprecedented temperatures have been registered. In certain cases, many people could not stand it, and it was a cause of death.
That is why the series of COPs (Conference of Parties) was initiated, with the first one held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. This was intended to raise awareness on the issue of climate change, decide what to do to remedy the situation, get updated on developments, record progress, and take every measure possible to stop and possibly reverse the negative trend.
Following these developments, there has been a lot of talk about how to build a clean and green economy. Countries have been advised to make less use of carbon, avoid gas emissions, stop felling trees, and halt the denuding of the earth. However, it has been observed that this has created a challenge for developing countries as they lack replacements. They also lack the necessary financial resources to adhere to these rigorous conditions, which is why the formation of a Special Fund to finance efforts to develop a green economy was suggested.
The beginning seemed promising, but the progress achieved could not be termed as successful as was hoped. What is more, the developed countries that were supposed to contribute to this fund did not all fulfill their pledges. That is why many countries, such as Ethiopia, had to largely act on their own.
What is labeled as the 'Green Legacy Initiative' in Ethiopia is a direct response to cope with these developments. It has been acclaimed as an exemplary action to be emulated by other countries. Since 2019, Ethiopia has been fully engaged in extensively planting billions of tree seedlings, resulting in the reversal of past tendencies of continuous deforestation. As one of the countries that have borne the brunt of the climate crisis, Ethiopia had to act, and act fast. Now, with the Green Legacy Initiative actively underway, Ethiopia has come a long distance in regreening its vast land. Already, with more than forty-five billion tree seedlings planted in the past six years, we can say Ethiopia has been undertaking a silent revolution in this sector.
This phenomenon has not only had a significant change in the green coverage of the land, but it has also contributed to the country’s efforts to achieve food security. Moreover, tens of thousands of youths have found job opportunities by nurturing the billions of seedlings, distributing them to various areas of the country, and digging the holes where they are to be planted.
Furthermore, billions of fruit seedlings such as mangoes and avocados have been planted, as have billions of coffee seedlings. Now, after a few years, we have come to reap more coffee to export more.
Ethiopians’ consciousness about climate change is now very high. This subject is now a part of school curricula, and students are well-versed in the issue of climate change. The new generation is going to be environmental activists, and what used to be practiced in the past will not be accepted today.
Today, we can say that Ethiopia is amending the wrongs or negligence of the past. This massive reforestation, realized by the Green Legacy Initiative, is receiving all the acclaim of environmentalists, including renowned and reputable international organizations. It is being highlighted at all international conferences. Ethiopia is also invited to share its experience with other countries.
This must be a huge source of satisfaction and pride for the person who conceived and initiated this huge campaign: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD). He has been personally following up on this mission and has used all the power and prestige of his office to encourage and inspire Ethiopians to be a part of this monumental exploit. He has always insisted on stressing that what we do today will not only guarantee our existence, but will also be a legacy for the future generation.