Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the launch of the next phase of the Green Legacy Initiative for the year 2026.
The ambitious environmental program aims to plant a staggering 8 billion trees across the African nation over the next twelve months.
This massive undertaking marks a vital step toward Ethiopia’s long-term sustainability target of planting 65 billion trees nationwide.
The state-run Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation, a partner of the TV BRICS network, officially reported the launch of this year’s phase.
Prime Minister Abiy called upon all citizens to actively participate in the program to drastically improve local environmental conditions.
First introduced in 2019, the campaign focuses on restoring degraded ecosystems, expanding forest cover, and fighting severe soil erosion.
The government successfully mobilized millions of citizens to plant over 48 billion seedlings during the initiative’s first seven years.
Officials emphasize that the Green Legacy framework effectively transforms vulnerable natural resources into valuable, sustainable economic capital.
The cultivation strategy utilizes the annual rainy season to plant fruit trees, fodder crops, ornamental species, and fuel sources.
Abiy explicitly linked the campaign’s success to an exponential rise in coffee export revenues from 600 million dollars to 3 billion dollars.
To further safeguard national food security, agricultural offices are diversifying crops by introducing ten unique, high-yield fruit varieties.
Farmers are now planting specialized pomegranates, macadamia nuts, and cocoa to strengthen both local food supplies and global export potential.
The expanded initiative simultaneously creates vital green jobs in seedling cultivation, regional transportation, and various agricultural services.
Government representatives reiterated that long-term environmental protection remains entirely inseparable from sustainable, macro-level economic growth.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation praised the model, positioning Ethiopia as a global leader in large-scale ecosystem restoration.
Bolstered by these environmental achievements, Ethiopia secured the highly coveted right to host the UN COP32 Climate Conference in 2027.
