Arba Minch University in association with Gamo Zone and Town Administration has celebrated ‘47th World Environment Day’ by planting thousands of saplings across its campuses and along town’s main street to Konso, at Secha, on 5th June, 2020. Arba Minch Mayor, Mr Sebsebe Bunabe, Education Sector Head, Mr Mado Mengesha, Environment and Forest Conservation Sector Head, Mr Tsegaye and AMU top officials including deans of colleges and directors participated in the event.Click here to see the pictures

This time, the ‘World Environment Day’ is being celebrated all across with theme: 'Time for Nature,' with a focus on its role in providing essential infrastructure that supports life on earth and human development.

Taking cue from Ethiopian Prime Minister who has launched this concerted campaign across the nation to become a green society by planting different types of eco-friendly seedling to combat environmental degradation, AMU has joined hands with Arba Minch and Sawla Town Administrations to plant 50,000 saplings within AMU campuses, Bere Mountain and around surrounding town areas.

AMU President, Dr Damtew Darza, gracing the event said, this important event has been launched along with Arba Minch and Sawla Town Administrations where we would plant 50,000 seedlings and today was the beginning. This way, AMU is complementing the campaign launched by our Prime Minister, Dr Abiy Ahmed, to make Ethiopia green, a national go green campaign meant to make people aware about frightening environmental degradation and educate society on importance of adapting green behavior.

He adds, last year, Ethiopia has planted 4 billion saplings and this year, we have vowed to plant 5 billion saplings across the nation and in this context AMU’s role is clearly defined that will be carried out with sincerity. And this sustained effort is yielding fruits as you can see many trees providing shelter to people around Limat. It will continue for few years till we achieve objective of national green environmental goals.

Research and Community Service Vice President, Dr Simon Shibru, said, AMU has launched this drive with timely theme, ‘COVID-19 and Environment’; Ethiopia is celebrating 27th edition of ‘World Environment Day’ and I am sure this campaign will have cascading impact on Ethiopia’s commitment to build a climate-resilient green economy. 

Spearheading plantation drive, Community Service Directorate Director, Dr Teklu Wegayehu, said, for us this matters much for AMU being one of the 1st generation universities has responsibility to plant 50,000 saplings and today we have kicked this drive by planting 2,000 seedlings of 5 species i.e. Terminalia (large trees of flowering plant family Combretaceae), Indian trees, Citrus Lemon, Woybetta, Adenium Obesum and some more will be added in the later stage.

Most of the saplings planted today came from Mirab Abaya and Arba Minch Seedling Nursery sites. He informed that thousands of seedlings are ready in nine nursery stations situated in seven woredas i.e. Arba Minch Seedling Nursery situated opposite Main Campus, Wajifo & Fura in Mirab Abaya, Chosha, Kacha Kachaso, Bonke; Kamba, Sawla, Chencha Derashe nursery sites are named as they are situated in those woredas.

On the occasion, we have also distributed around 1,803 seedlings to the community that includes Olive, 72, Mango, 124, Papaya, 70, Terminalia, 175, Indian trees, 614, Wobet, 362, Bambu, 40, Kori, 75, Coffee, 82, Morninga, 138, Dredawa, 29, Qalqalo, 12, Dr Teklu summed up.
(Corporate Communication Directorate)