In a triumph of environmental ambition and grassroots mobilization, Ethiopia has clinched a major international accolade from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), earning the top honor in Sustainable Forest Management and Use for its sweeping Green Legacy Initiative — a national reforestation campaign that has stunned the world with its scale and speed.

The award, presented at a high-level ceremony in Rome, was received by Ethiopia’s Minister of Tourism, Selamawit Kassa, who called it “a powerful recognition of what collective vision, political will, and civic engagement can achieve.” Launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the Green Legacy Initiative has transformed from a bold idea into one of the largest ecological restoration programs on the African continent — and beyond.

Since its inception, Ethiopia has planted more than 48 billion tree seedlings, according to government data, with a remarkable focus on indigenous species and degraded landscapes. The country’s forest cover has surged from 17.2 percent to 23.6 percent in just four years — a feat environmentalists have described as both “unprecedented” and “critically urgent” in an era of accelerating climate breakdown.

In 2025 alone, Ethiopians planted over 7.5 billion seedlings, surpassing national targets. The initiative has galvanized citizens across all regions, with students, farmers, public servants, and religious institutions uniting in an annual planting season that has become both a civic duty and a cultural moment. The campaign is also credited with creating thousands of green jobs, particularly for youth and women in rural areas, through nursery operations, planting, and ecosystem management.

Minister Selamawit urged international observers to visit Ethiopia and witness the results firsthand, framing the initiative not only as an environmental success but a model for global climate action through community ownership and long-term commitment.

Yet the challenges ahead are as steep as the achievements are vast. Experts note that the long-term survival of seedlings remains a key concern, particularly in the face of erratic rainfall, land use competition, and weak enforcement of environmental protections. The government has announced that future efforts will focus on integrating monitoring technologies and improving seedling survival rates, while pushing forward with its next target: surpassing 54 billion trees by the end of 2026.

As climate diplomacy intensifies worldwide and countries grapple with balancing development and sustainability, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy is increasingly being seen as a test case. Whether its forests thrive or falter in the coming years may shape not only the country’s environmental future — but its global reputation as a leader in ecological transformation.

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Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Reaps Global Recognition with Major FAO Award