Addis ababa: The Green Legacy Initiative has restored dried springs and lakes by allowing water to penetrate deeper into the soil, scholars at Haramaya University told ENA.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, Haramaya University Research and Community Engagement Vice President, Yishak Yusuf, stated that the Green Legacy Initiative is bringing numerous benefits to the country. It has notably resulted in timely rainfall, green vegetation, increased water infiltration, and mitigation of water scarcity.
Yishak explained that the initiative has successfully restored springs and lakes that had previously disappeared or dried up. Development efforts under the Green Legacy on basins around Lake Haramaya, which had been dry for the past 18 years, have allowed the lake to return to its original state, with the water level increasing annually.
These activities have also benefitted farmers by making groundwater more accessible, thereby boosting production and ensuring food security, Yishak pointed out.
Plant Science lecturer and researcher Yonas Moges highlighted the international recognition of the Green Legacy’s importance. He cited Haramaya University as an example of successful efforts, with tangible results achieved in basin restoration.
The natural resource conservation and Green Legacy efforts have transformed the local ecosystem, leading to the remarkable revival of Lake Haramaya.
Coordinator of the Lake Haramaya Basin Development Project and lecturer Dine Rashid mentioned that the watershed works are preventing erosion and enhancing groundwater infiltration. This has improved groundwater accessibility, developed irrigation, and increased forest coverage.
The scholars emphasized that the university will continue to build on the Green Legacy’s positive changes through education and further research and development.