Ethiopia to plant 5 mln indigenous species for biodiversity conservation

ADDIS ABABA, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government has announced efforts to plant five million seedlings of indigenous species during the upcoming national tree planting campaign to conserve its unique biodiversity resources.

Abiyot Berhanu, deputy director general of the Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute, said that the institute aims to distribute five million seedlings of native plant species, and 25 million indigenous seedlings will be supplied annually by 2030, the state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported Thursday.

The emphasis on planting native plant species is part of Ethiopia's broader reforestation movement, with an overarching goal of combating desertification and addressing the adverse effects of climate change.

Noting that indigenous plant species are uniquely adapted to the local ecosystem, Berhanu emphasized such species' significant contribution to environmental restoration and biodiversity conservation in Ethiopia, a country rich in plant diversity, boasting over 6,029 species, of which 10 percent are said to be endemic.

"While planting any species contributes to environmental restoration, indigenous species have a far greater impact due to their compatibility with local ecosystems," the ENA quoted Berhanu as saying.

He added that nursery sites have been prepared to cultivate the planned five million indigenous plant seedlings across the country.

This year's edition of the national tree planting campaign, which will mainly take place from June to September during the imminent rainy season, is part of Ethiopia's ambitious Green Legacy Initiative.

Launched in 2019, the initiative aims to combat deforestation, restore degraded landscapes, and enhance environmental resilience.

According to the agriculture ministry, Ethiopia has planted approximately 40 billion seedlings over the past six years. ■