KEYIR NEWS:- Ethiopia’s forest cover is on course to reach 30 percent within the next few years, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, driven by sustained afforestation efforts under the Green Legacy Initiative.
Launched six years ago, the Green Legacy Initiative has overseen the planting of 40 billion seedlings across the country, with an increasing focus on indigenous and fruit-bearing species.
According to the State Minister, over 60 percent of the fruit trees planted serve both nutritional and animal feed purposes, with reforestation efforts moving toward multi-functional mixed forest plantations.
A significant outcome of the initiative has been the reclamation of degraded land. The Ministry’s latest study shows that areas classified as degraded have been reduced from six million hectares to 2.5 million hectares, largely due to the planting of native species and a renewed emphasis on environmental rehabilitation.
The Ministry aims to maintain momentum with ecosystem-focused interventions, and officials say inter-ministerial cooperation will be critical to achieving the 30 percent forest cover target.