Addis ababa: The World Food Program (WFP) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ethiopia’s recent notable strides in climate action and food security initiatives. Ethiopia has made significant progress by integrating climate resilience into its national development plans and advancing climate-smart agriculture. Through mass tree planting, including fruit and fodder trees, the country is laying a foundation for national food security and economic resilience.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, WFP Country Director in Ethiopia, Zlatan Milisic, commended Ethiopia’s dedication to the Green Legacy Program, describing it as exemplary. “I am quite impressed by Ethiopia’s commitment and investment in this green legacy program,” he affirmed. Ethiopia has planted over 48 billion trees since the initiative’s launch by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019.
Milisic acknowledged Ethiopia’s efforts in advancing climate action and food security, emphasizing the importance of the country’s recognition of the need for continuous improvement. “I think it’s very important also to recognize that Ethiopia is recognizing what they need to do more and do better in order to move the whole country forward on climate action, but also on the broader food security, and food systems,” he elaborated.
Ethiopia has achieved significant milestones in food security through initiatives such as the national wheat farming initiative, transforming from a wheat importer to Africa’s largest producer. The “Bounty of the Basket” (Yelemat Tirufat) program further enhances food production with a focus on dairy, fish, and chicken, while the Green Legacy Initiative addresses climate change and enhances nutrition through tree planting.
“We see a lot of initiatives and investments in agriculture, in food systems, in the ability for the country to take care of the people affected by disasters, and to be less dependent on foreign aid,” Milisic stated. Acknowledging these national initiatives, he reaffirmed WFP’s commitment to supporting the government’s efforts in building a more resilient community.
He added, “We are very happy at WFP to work a lot with the national government offices, ministries, and disaster risk commission, helping them build their systems to be more robust, more resilient, and also to build the resilience of the people and of the community.” Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and its broader goal of food self-sufficiency are intertwined, aiming to restore ecosystems, improve soil and water resources, and boost agricultural productivity.