As severe drought ravages China's northern areas and begins to extend southward, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for greater efforts to deal with the situation and ensure good harvests.

During an inspection tour in the country's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Wen urged local governments to give anti-drought measures top priority and make concrete efforts to ensure agricultural production.

Wen said long-lingering drought in major agricultural regions greatly harmed production, so governments should make all out efforts to utilize irrigation facilities and reduce losses.

Efforts should also be made to enhance water resource management, and to provide anti-drought technologies to farmers, Wen said.

Wen urged local governments to ensure water supplies to people and livestock in drought-hit areas, and channel funds to farmers affected by drought, to ensure their livelihoods.

Wen also emphasized the importance of construction of water facilities.

China has been undergoing severe drought this year. According to statistics from the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, 191 million mu (12.73 million hectares) of crops have been affected during this summer, 35 percent more than in previous years.

The government has so far this year allocated 1.85 billion yuan from the central budget for anti-drought and flood funds to help combat and compensate for various natural disasters.

(Xinhua News Agency August 29, 2009)