– Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative was officially launched in the Afar Region on Friday as regional authorities reaffirmed their commitment to expanding irrigation-based agricultural development to improve food security and address the impacts of climate change.
According to information released by the Afar Regional Communication Bureau and shared by bureau head Mohammed Ali Biado, this year’s campaign is being conducted under the slogan “Planting Hope.”
Officials said the tree-planting campaign is being implemented alongside ongoing large-scale agricultural and irrigation development projects across the region, with the aim of transforming Afar into a center for agricultural production and economic growth.
The national Green Legacy Initiative, launched several years ago at the proposal of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), has been promoted as a program designed to improve environmental conditions and support modern agricultural practices, particularly in lowland areas such as Afar. Regional officials stated that the initiative has contributed to increased production of bananas and other crops.
Although the Afar Region experiences temperatures ranging from 43 to 45 degrees Celsius, officials said current agricultural development efforts are helping transform environmental challenges into opportunities for increased production. They also noted that land previously regarded as unsuitable for large-scale agricultural development is now demonstrating significant farming potential.
Regional authorities highlighted irrigation and agricultural projects underway in the Sabure area of Awash Woreda as examples of this transformation. Teff, bananas, and various other crops are currently being cultivated and harvested in the area through irrigation, according to officials, who said the projects demonstrate the fertility of the land, the availability of water resources, and the readiness of local communities to engage in agricultural production.
Officials added that the regional government is working to utilize these natural resources to increase agricultural productivity, reduce dependence on humanitarian assistance, and achieve sustainable food security. They attributed the progress to the leadership of Afar Regional President Haji Awol Arba and his cabinet.
According to the regional administration, the irrigation-based cultivation of bananas and other crops in Awash Woreda represents the first phase of a broader strategy to establish Afar as a regional agricultural and economic hub. Authorities said efforts to expand investment and agricultural development across the region will continue.
