About 600 stakeholders from over 30 countries in Africa and beyond came together from July 8 to 10 at the inaugural Mastercard Foundation EdTech Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, to discuss education technology for resilient and inclusive learning in Africa. Participants reached a consensus that integrating technology into learning systems in Africa is now a necessity, not a luxury.
Hosted in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, the conference concluded with a collective call to action on 10 recommendations for governments and other EdTech stakeholders.
“Investing in education in Africa is not only about Africa; rather, it is about investing in human capital for the world. It is also about building resilience in our learning systems to better prepare us for future shocks such as the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This is why the Mastercard Foundation is committed to working with partners to scale education initiatives and enable innovations that foster the integration of technology into learning systems,” Peter Materu, Chief Program Officer at the Mastercard Foundation, told participants while underscoring education as the key to building an inclusive and resilient society and the urgent need for investments in education to skill Africa’s young people. (Press Release)
Publish What You Fund, the global campaign for aid and development transparency, has once again named the African Development Bank’s sovereign portfolio as the most transparent. The portfolio emerged first out of 50 global development institutions with a top score of 98.8 in its 2024 Aid Transparency Index released today.
The Bank’s sovereign portfolio climbed four places in the ranking in 2022 to top the Index, setting the standard for high-quality data publication. For a second time running, the result highlights the Bank’s continued effort and prioritization of good quality data publication.
The Aid Transparency Index has tracked the transparency of the largest international aid organisations over the last 12 years.
The 2024 Index assesses six sovereign (public sector) portfolios and six non-sovereign (private sector) portfolios of development finance institutions (DFIs). The sovereign portfolios of development finance institutions occupy three of the top five positions in the ranking with the African Development Bank coming first, the InterAmerican Development Bank second and World Bank International Development Association fourth. (Press Release)
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Each cash flow comprises one leg of the swap. One cash flow is generally fixed, while the other is variable and based on a benchmark interest rate, floating currency exchange rate, or index price.
Today marks a new era for Ethiopia due to several factors, with the success of the Green Legacy initiative being crucial for Africa and the world to breathe cleaner air. Ethiopia’s effort involves planting trees to restore forest coverage and combating the threat of climate change. Climate change impacts are a significant threat to the world, largely attributed to activities such as burning fossil fuels, manufacturing, deforestation, transportation, food production, and building operations. Deforestation poses a severe threat to the survival of the life system, making Ethiopia’s efforts particularly vital.
Even though Ethiopians are naturally fortunate to have comfortable weather, it has become more advanced and moderated since the initiation of the Green Legacy program. As it is widely known, different records have been registered that can be noted as an example at the continental and even international level. The initiative has not been limited to Ethiopia alone; it has also expanded to East African countries like Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda, and others. Ethiopia is blessed with comfortable weather, which is observed by foreigners who often travel to our land when they experience difficulty with the weather in their hometowns.
Our institution, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, is actively leading the charge in the national campaign for tree planting through the Green Legacy initiative. We are dedicated to advancing agricultural development by creating, adapting, and promoting technology through our extensive agricultural research programs. Among our many research areas, we are specifically focused on sustainable water and soil management to effectively preserve natural resources and contribute significantly to the Green Legacy initiative. This year, we have successfully planted various seedlings in the Wendo Wereda area of the West Arsi Zone, under the excellent coordination of the Wendogenet Agricultural Research Center (WGARC). Our continued efforts undoubtedly play a crucial role in the national Green Legacy initiative.
Dr. Temesgen Dessalegne, the natural resource management research directorate director at the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR), stated that the Green Legacy Initiative is a highly ambitious environmental project launched by the Ethiopian government to aggressively combat deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change. This initiative, spearheaded by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed in 2019, is focused on driving reforestation and environmental conservation throughout Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research (EIAR) management team decisively launched the 2024 tree planting at Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, with over 200 participants planting more than 6,000 seedlings, predominantly fruit trees such as avocado, banana and coffee. Tree planting offers an array of benefits, particularly for soil and water, thereby substantially contributing to environmental health and sustainability.
Some of key aspects of the Green Legacy Initiative worthwhile to mention are:
Erosion Control: Trees stabilize the soil with their root systems, preventing erosion by wind and water.
Soil Fertility: Leaf litter from trees decomposes, adding organic matter to the soil and enhancing its fertility.
Soil Structure: Tree roots help to improve soil structure by creating spaces for air and water movement.
Nutrient Cycling: Trees play a crucial role in nutrient cycling by absorbing nutrients from deep soil layers and returning them to the surface through leaf fall.
Microbial Activity: Trees support a rich soil microbiome, which aids in nutrient breakdown and soil health.
Before the Green Legacy initiative began, the forest coverage was only 4%. Thanks to the initiative, it has increased to about 23.6%, and it could increase further if the initiative continues successfully. According to various sources, more than 32 billion seedlings were planted by the year 2015 E.C. The Green Legacy is not just an agenda for Ethiopia; it is also being embraced by East Africa. It is now considered essential for ensuring the availability of oxygen and is teaching nations that reforestation is practically achievable.
The Green Legacy initiative is not just about planting trees; it also serves as a demonstration that completing specific activities or projects is achievable. It has been a game changer in our work ethics, pushing us to aggressively tackle planned tasks. Previously, our work ethic did not encourage working beyond eight hours a day and/or over the weekends. However, initiatives like Green Legacy have made it possible for us to achieve records at the continental level and even compete internationally.
The starting of green legacy initiative in Ethiopia brought many opportunities. It opens the eyes of different individuals that the production of seedlings is could be profitable. Hence, a number of individuals and groups initiated many startups to begin business on seedling. It became common to observe while different youths involve in the production of different seedlings at the corners of the streets. These individuals produce fruits, vegetables, flowers and others. The demand is highly increasing from time to time for fruits across the country, and for flowers especially at towns. Since green legacy is launched, direction is given to plant different fruits thinking that it could full fill the gap on our food security as it could be possible to consume different fruits and vegetables for example avocadoes, mangoes, bananas etc. for household consumption in addition to getting an income by selling. Thus, urban agriculture is also enhanced as the access of getting different fruits and vegetables seedlings is easy.
Involving in the production of seedling, different groups and individuals are witnessing that they could have improved their life with the income they earn from selling seedlings.
Since its inception, Green Legacy has been keeping a continuous record of its activities. There are currently preparations underway to register it in the Guinness Book of World Records. Green Legacy is becoming a unique initiative for Ethiopia, much like our Indigenous crops such as teff and enset, and Indigenous plants like juniperous, podocarpus, and olea species. This initiative can also be seen as a symbol of our country’s amazing tourist attractions, such as Lalibela, Fasiledes, and others, and can contribute to enhancing our image and potential as a major player in the global tourism industry.
“Our internal problems aside, the Green Legacy initiative serves as a unifying symbol that connects nations, much like our own Great Renaissance Dam. It mobilizes citizens from all directions, creating momentum for development. Most nations develop not only because they have abundant resources, but also because they have human capital, the greatest potential for growth and development. Ethiopia is no exception to this.”
Ethiopia, like most countries, possesses vast uncultivated land, significant human capital, and favorable weather conditions. The Green Legacy initiative has been instrumental in unleashing the untapped potential of human capital, marking a significant shift in the country’s development strategy. This initiative is a strategic and effective approach for mobilizing people towards sustainable development.
In a nutshell, the Green Legacy initiative goes beyond just increasing our forest coverage and beautifying the landscape. It symbolizes Ethiopia’s unwavering capability to take on world-benefiting initiatives. It represents unwavering unity, as people from all corners come together to vigorously develop the country. It also serves as a clear signal for us to vastly improve our work ethics and be relentlessly motivated to perform better. This can be seen in different projects, such as the ongoing corridor development that is happening day and night. Therefore, as Ethiopians, we must forcefully work together to see through initiatives that have been started and unleash the untapped potential of our country, which could greatly accelerate its growth and development.
You can reach the writer via email at antushyil@gmail.com
