Ethiopia has planted over 48 billion seedlings under the Green Legacy Program, raising forest cover to 23 percent. The initiative has delivered concrete changes in environmental protection, water resources and socioeconomic growth.
Reports from Addis Ababa show the program, launched in 2011 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, achieved its results through 2017. Forest cover rose while annual deforestation fell from 72,000 hectares to 3,000 hectares.
Sediment in rivers dropped from 1.9 billion tons to 208 million tons per year. Soil erosion per hectare declined from 130 tons to 54 tons annually.
The program created more than 1.2 million jobs, mainly for youth and women, while supporting household food security and sustainable water protection.
