Record breaking 615.7M saplings planted in Ethiopia in 12 hours – Premier Abiy

Addis Ababa, August 23, 2024 (FBC) – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed that a record breaking 615.7 million tree seedlings have been planted on 318.4 hectares of geospatially mapped sites in a single day throughout Ethiopia.

In his remarks published on his social media pages, PM Abiy stated that a total of 29.1 million citizens have participated in a one-day tree planting campaign which initially aimed to plant 600 million saplings.

“All Ethiopians set out to plant 600 million saplings from sunrise to sunset today. Refusing to let the sun set without achieving our goal, we surpassed it, planting an astounding 615.7 million saplings by the end of the day.”

“Children have planted their hope. Young people have demonstrated their resilience. The elderly have left a legacy. From one corner of the country to another, Ethiopians stepped out and made their mark. With our unwavering spirit and perseverance, we accomplished overnight what has never been done anywhere else in the world. Today, we stand for climate balance, line up against soil degradation, and commit to ensuring food security. We have worked relentlessly to restore the prosperity of our land. With the Creator’s help, we achieved what we set out to do by today’s sunset,” the premier noted.

“In total, 29.1 million citizens planted saplings across 318.4 hectares of geospatially mapped locations. The planting efforts outside the registered database will continue to be reported.”

He asserted that this is a testament to the incredible solidarity and perseverance of Ethiopians. “Our gratitude goes out to the leaders, professionals, and media institutions who played key roles in planning, monitoring, and ensuring the success of this initiative. Together, our ambition is to build and sustain a better Ethiopia, and our efforts will continue.”