Addis Ababa: Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture has announced that about 85 percent of the 7.5 billion seedlings planted during the rainy season of the past Ethiopian Fiscal Year have survived and are thriving.
As part of its ambitious plan to plant 50 billion trees in two phases of the Green Legacy Initiative, Ethiopia planted 32.5 billion saplings thus far in the first phase and the first year of the second phase.
Minister of Agriculture, Girma Amente said about 85 percent of the total 7.5 billion seedlings planted during last year’s rainy season have survived.
Out of these 7.5 billion seedlings planted, 57 percent were mixed forest and fruit bearing saplings, while the remaining 43 percent were planted for environmental protection and watershed development, he noted.
Emphasizing the rigorous monitoring system in place, with biannual surveys conducted to ensure the well being of the seedlings, the minister explained that the exploration work will be done after the end of summer and winter months.
Accor
dingly, as per the first inspection conducted after the rainy season, 85 percent of the seedlings planted were approved to be survived.
“The survival rate assessments have to be conducted twice; first immediately after the rainy season (summer) and second after the end of the winter. In the first round of the biannual survey after the rainy season, we found about 85% survival rate for seedlings planted during the previous rainy season. Maintaining or even surpassing this rate in future plantings is crucial.’
Stressing that the ministry will work to increase the approval rate by continuously carrying out care activities, Girma stated that the second exploration work will be done after the completion of the winter season.
Looking ahead, the minister revealed that preparations for the upcoming rainy season are well underway.
In collaboration with regional authorities, a plan to cultivate 9 billion seedlings is in place, leveraging the established nurseries and practices developed over the past years, he stat
ed.
Girma acknowledged the varying preparation times for different species, particularly indigenous trees, and assured that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure optimal planting conditions.
With Ethiopia aiming to plant 17.5 billion trees in the next three years, the Green Legacy Initiative is rapidly approaching to meet its ambitious target of planting 50 billion saplings, according to him.
As Ethiopia proudly shared its Green Legacy experience at the recent COP28 Summit, the world is taking notice of this remarkable initiative, offering hope for a greener and more sustainable future for all.
Source:Ethiopian News Agency
The Intercity Transport Coaches have urged the government to support them with buses to transport passengers to their destination as they are losing customers to their competitors due to the limited number of buses.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office, Mr. Kodwo Barnes, the STC manager for Tema Zone, mentioned that STC had recorded low patronage this festive season due to inadequate buses.
He added that even though STC was doing their best to transport travelers safely, they were still losing passengers to private transport owners due to inadequate buses.
He noted that due to this limitation on buses, STC was not able to provide services for travelers who were going to Hohoe, and they all had to move to other transport stations.
Mr. Barnes mentioned that there had been a high turn-in of travellers this holiday season as compared to other years, which was supposed to be their advantage, but due to inadequate buses, they were still losing passengers.
He lamented that when the s
ituation persisted, some travellers informed their fellow travellers that STC was lacking buses, and they in turn opted for other options.
He therefore urged the government to support them with buses to enable the smooth running of their business.
He added that the high turn-in of travellers was not only during the festive season but also at the beginning of a new academic year where students must move to their various schools, and STC still faced the same issue, which is sometimes challenging.
Mr. Barnes stated that, as STC had always promised, they still stood by their promise to deliver the safest, most comfortable, and most reliable road transportation.
He mentioned that STC undertook driver training periodically to ensure that drivers worked professionally and obeyed all road safety signs.
He said all buses underwent routine checks before their departure, and metal detectors were also used to check luggage to ensure that there was no harmful tool that can be used as a weapon.
He added that STC was
doing all that it took to maintain a good image and be on top in the minds of their travellers, but their little drawback was the limitation of buses.
He therefore pleaded with the government to help them acquire more buses to help achieve their aim.
Madam Leticia Foli, a passenger travelling to Temale, mentions that STC provided good transportation services and drivers maintained good relationships with their passengers, but the only issue mentioned was the lack of vehicles, which affected their departure time.
‘Yes, they’re very good. The drivers too drive well, but our small issue is that the buses are not many, so one bus must go two times to the same location, and it affects us because we sometimes plan the time they give us,’ she said.
Source:Ghana News Agency