ORDA Ethiopia is preparing to plant 6.8 million saplings

ORDA Ethiopia is preparing to plant 6.8 million saplings in 2023 which will provide multipurpose benefits. Among the seedlings prepared, 3.255 million are indigenous, and 3.6 million are foreign species. So far, 2040 hectares of land have been identified where the saplings will be planted. The planting sites are on public land, farmers' plow land (combined agriculture), and institutions (churches and schools) 4.8 million seedling pits have been prepared in these areas. Ato Solomon Ayele, Director of ORDA Ethiopia's Forestry, Environment, and Climate Change Program, said that saplings will be planted on July 3, 2023.

Plantation sites are mainly in West Amhara areas such as Dera, Estie, Sekela, Libokemkem, Ebenat, Quara, and East Amhara are in Wadla,Mekiete,Gazo Lasta, Dahna, Gazgibla, and around Sekota.

It is recommended that the planting of saplings in the Tekeze Basin area should focus on fruit cultivation in water-logged areas and the cultivation of multi-purpose tree species in the fields of farmers that can be justified. In addition to this, protecting and developing degraded public lands from the contact of animals is a viable and preferred method.

Furthermore, the Director said that the planting activities in the Tekeze Basin areas are being done with an emphasis on reducing unnecessary waste of resources by planting suitable species in suitable locations.

The program director added that the average approval rate of the seedlings planted last year reached 75.2 percent, and this result has been helped by the planting of measured and quality seedlings, the implementation of moisture control works at the planting site, the implementation of termite prevention work, and the planting sites being kept free from animal and human contact.