The government of Benin has officially launched the first edition of Green Day, an initiative aimed at transforming the country's urban landscape into a tool for job creation and sustainability. The event was opened by Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Georges Alé, in Cotonou. Several high-profile attendees were present, including Olga Prince Dagnon, Director-General of the National Landscape Agency (ANAP), and Adéyémi Clément Kouchadé, Minister of Secondary Education.
The Green Day initiative seeks to shift the way Benin thinks about and manages its green spaces. According to Olga Prince Dagnon, the event aims to change the way people perceive landscaped areas. She emphasized that landscapes are not just decorations but essential components of the living environment. Dagnon advocates for an approach that goes beyond planting trees to include maintenance, monitoring, and preservation over time.
The results so far are promising, with an 83% survival rate for plants monitored by ANAP. However, Dagnon believes that more needs to be done to achieve the goal of sustaining the plant heritage. She stressed the need for better organization across the entire chain, from nursery production to plantation maintenance. This includes creating a robust system to ensure the long-term survival of planted trees.
Minister Georges Alé highlighted significant progress made in recent years, with landscaped areas increasing from 40 to over 100 hectares in four years. The sector now supports over 33,000 direct jobs, nearly 900 businesses, and more than 2,000 nurseries nationwide. Alé emphasized that the next step is to focus on maintenance, financing, professionalization, and responsibility.
The two-day Green Day event brings together institutions, local authorities, professionals, young people, and citizens for conferences, panels, workshops, and exhibitions. A Green Village with nearly 10,000 square meters of exhibition space hosts over 50 stands showcasing landscape professions and environmental innovations. The goal is to foster partnerships, strengthen local skills, and promote the use of tools like artificial intelligence and geolocation.
The National Landscape Agency hopes to encourage the integration of landscape considerations into infrastructure and development projects. Minister Alé stressed the importance of incorporating landscape planning from the outset of such projects. This approach aims to ensure that sustainability and job creation are central to Benin's development policies.
With this first edition of Green Day, Benin aims to make a lasting commitment to incorporating landscape sustainability into its policies. The event serves as a platform for stakeholders to share ideas, build partnerships, and drive progress toward a more sustainable future. As Minister Alé noted, "Planting is a gesture, maintaining is a commitment, and transmitting is a decision."
Key points
- The Benin government aims to increase the survival rate of planted trees to 100%.
- The landscape sector in Benin now supports over 33,000 direct jobs and nearly 900 businesses.
- The Green Day event seeks to promote the integration of landscape considerations into infrastructure and development projects.
