Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched Ethiopia's 2026 Green Legacy Initiative in Addis Ababa on June 15 to plant eight billion seedlings [1].
The campaign represents a massive scale of environmental intervention aimed at reversing deforestation and soil erosion. By integrating large-scale reforestation into national policy, Ethiopia seeks to secure its agricultural future and mitigate the effects of climate change across the East African highlands.
Earlier this month, on June 13, the prime minister said that more than eight billion seedlings had already been readied for the planting season [3]. This preparation ensures that the government can meet its ambitious target of eight billion seedlings [2].
The initiative is designed to reaffirm Ethiopia's commitment to sustainable development, and environmental restoration [2]. The Green Legacy Initiative functions as a national drive to restore the country's forest cover, which is essential for water security and biodiversity.
Abiy Ahmed said the effort is part of a broader strategy to ensure ecological stability. The mobilization of resources for the 2026 season follows previous iterations of the program that have sought to engage citizens in nationwide planting events.
Government officials in Addis Ababa are coordinating the distribution of the seedlings to various regions to ensure maximum survival rates for the new trees. The scale of the eight billion seedling target [1] underscores the government's priority on environmental recovery as a pillar of national stability.
“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched Ethiopia's 2026 Green Legacy Initiative in Addis Ababa”
The scale of the Green Legacy Initiative reflects Ethiopia's strategy to use environmental restoration as a tool for both climate resilience and national mobilization. By targeting billions of trees, the government aims to stabilize its fragile highlands, which are critical for the country's rain-fed agriculture and water catchment systems.
