ORDA covers over 1,300 hectares of land 

Degraded lands & mountains are getting rehabilitated

The Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA) greening project verified that more than 4.3 million seedlings are planted.

Natural Resources Development Program manager, Ato Getachew Alamiraw, claimed ORDA has been carrying out plantation for more than a decade. Greening project is being implemented and an area of over 1,300 hectares of land is covered in selected districts of Gidan, Habru and Raya Kobo of North Wollo zone. The manager reminded 4.12 million seedlings had been planted in 1,700 hectares of land last year and it has a seedling survival of only 37.5 %. According to Getachew the workshop conducted before the planting season among heads of the zone, woreda and kebele, concerned stakeholders of office of agriculture & environmental protection supported to establish better team spirit and fruitfully carryout greening in the area. It is noted that if rainfall sustains as required and stakes accomplish their responsibilities, seedling survival is supposed to be improved.

ORDA annually has been carrying out protection and rehabilitation of natural resources in selected areas where the soil is highly degraded. Hence, areas become productive due to the unreserved effort. North Wollo Zone mainly Woldiya town and its surrounding districts are able to be witnesses. Nowadays, barren mountains of Gidan district have started to restore their vegetation cover. Destruction of Woldiya town due to unpredictable flood and natural disasters has been reduced. Now, it’s common to see a stable reconstruction and development of the town like others.

Farmer Abate Sisay, a resident in Habru district Gosh Wuha 02 kebele, was involved in greening at Eshet Amba watershed. According to farmer Abate free grazing, deforestation and expansion of farmlands made mountains and the area degraded. The flood which comes from mounts extremely erodes farmlands and altered them to infertility. The area is closed and freed from human and animal contact. For this reason, residents of Eshet Amba watershed are planting seedlings.
Farmer Bewnetie Wagaye is living in Gidan District 03 kebele. He claimed before Wondach watershed was delineated, their farmland was badly washed away from time to time. Nowadays, it is getting rehabilitated. Farmer Bewnetie said “ORDA is installing gabions to reduce soil erosion and encourages farmers in greening (tree planting).” Farmers assured that beyond planting, they properly manage and protect the seedlings until it grows for utilization. 

                                                    
ORDA established 8 nursery sites in North Wollo Zone. Nursery sites grow indigenous trees like (Olea Africana/woira, tid, wanza, eucalyptus, Moringa) and exotic species like (grevillea and acacia varieties) are planted in cluster areas. Women and jobless youths who were actively engaged in greening have got job opportunity.

During ORDA’s greening campaign which is carried out at Kinchiftu Delala, Atakmaw Delala, Meskel Metekosha & Kassaye Wona hillsides of Mekdela watershed of Raya Kobo district was impressive. The courage of women, youths and adults was amazing. People are now well aware that growing a tree is like taking care of life/flora & fauna/. 

It’s to be noted that due to its unreserved effort, ORDA planted greater than 520 million seedlings over 105 thousand hectares of land.