Addis Ababa, Thousands of volunteers sowed on Monday over 350 million trees in all the regional states of Ethiopia, during a day of massive planting in which, according to official reports, they imposed a world mark.
Over 353, 633, 660 trees were planted on Monday in the nation, thus exceeding the initial target set at 200 million, assured State television Fana Broadcasting Corporate in its digital edition, at the end of working hours.

In India 66,000,000 trees were planted in 2017, a figure considered Guinness world record that until now remains valid because although it was far exceeded, according to the official announcement, no international authority has verified and cataloged what was done in Ethiopian territory.

Government officials and public institutions, politicians, economists, farmers, students, members of civil society organizations, among others, participated in the massive tree planting, led by President Sahle-Work Zewde and Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Zewde and Ahmed joined the volunteers in the cities of Gondar, regional state of Amhara, and Wolayita Hard, Region of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of the South, in that order, and took the opportunity to urge the inhabitants to develop reforestation.

These tasks integrate the government program of planting four billion trees in the current rainy season, an initiative started last May and under which 2,600 were planted until yesterday.

The growth of human settlements and the large number of displaced people, together with the increase in agricultural activities and several environmental factors, cause daily destruction of vital plants for the African nation and the deforestation of large territories.

Ahmed and the Ethiopian Government hope that the initiative, in addition to aiding to protect and conserve biodiversity, will contribute to meeting the future economic needs of farmers, and to encourage the development of forests, gardens and green spaces in cities.

Source: Prensa Latina