Ethiopia announces plans to plant 5 billion seedlings this year, as part of four year 20bn target

Ethiopia is to plant 5 billion tree seedlings this year to help fight climate change and deforestation.

The announcement was made following Prime Minister Abiy’s visit to a tree seedling nursery in Sodere. The 5 billion seedlings are being nurtured in 38,000 sites across the country as part of the annual planting season, which will start in mid-June this year, if Ethiopia manages to curb the spread of the Coronavirus.

According to the Prime Minister, up to 20 billion seedlings will be planted over the next four years.

This ambitious campaign is part of PM Abiy’s Green Legacy Initiative which, last year, resulted in 4 billion trees (40 trees per person) being planted.