ADDIS ABABA, — Ethiopia’s ambitious Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is demonstrating significant progress in national environmental restoration and soil conservation efforts, with the Ministry of Agriculture highlighting its crucial role in bolstering agricultural productivity and ensuring long-term resource sustainability.
Speaking at the launch of this year’s GLI, Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente underscored the initiative’s transformative economic and environmental impact. Under the theme “Renewal through Planting,” the nation aims to plant a staggering 7.5 billion seedlings nationwide this year, building on past successes.
Minister Amente emphasized that the application of scientific approaches in GLI implementation has yielded tangible improvements, notably in increased agricultural output, particularly for coffee yields. He stressed the initiative’s critical role in the sustainable management of Ethiopia’s vital soil and water resources, leveraging the country’s favorable climate and soil conditions for optimal results.
Acknowledging historical environmental challenges and insufficient attention to natural resource management, the Minister revealed that approximately half of Ethiopia’s land has suffered degradation, with an estimated seven million hectares impacted by soil acidity. To counter this, the government is intensifying efforts through integrated watershed development programs and community-based GLI activities, which have already begun to reverse land degradation in several regions.
The GLI is currently being implemented across 12 major watersheds, with a significant focus on the ecologically and economically vital Nile River Basin. Of the 40 billion tree seedlings planted over the past six years, a substantial 11 billion were specifically planted within this crucial basin.
Minister Girma further highlighted the symbiotic relationship between the GLI and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). He noted that the Green Footprint Program is directly contributing to extending the dam’s operational lifespan by enhancing the basin’s vegetation cover, which has seen a notable increase from 19 percent to 25 percent. This increased vegetation cover is instrumental in mitigating siltation and preserving the dam’s functionality.
In a testament to the program’s effectiveness, Minister Amente disclosed a significant reduction in soil erosion. Soil loss per hectare of agricultural land has dramatically dropped from 130 tons to 54 tons since the program’s inception six years ago.
The Minister concluded by underscoring that the encouraging outcomes observed in rehabilitated areas serve as compelling evidence of the program’s success. He reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to further strengthening sustainable soil and water conservation efforts, paving the way for continued economic and environmental prosperity.
