BEIJING -?China's Ministry of Agriculture on Sunday said it will increase efforts to support agricultural production in drought-hit regions in the southwest.

The ministry said on its website that it will strengthen communication and cooperation with ?meteorological and water conservancy departments to implement drought-relief efforts.

It will work with local governments to provide sufficient farming tools and machines, and manpower to ensure timely harvest, the ministry said.

Efforts will also be made to send agricultural experts to provide training to help farmers combat drought, it noted.

The ministry said it will increase supervision over the distribution of relief funds in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and allocate relief materials such as seeds and chemical fertilizers.

The southwestern provinces of Guizhou, Yunnan and Sichuan, as well as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality have been seriously affected by a lingering drought over recent months.

According to the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, the nation's top drought-relief authority, the drought has left more than 12.6 million people short of drinking water and 3 million hectares of farmland parched in the region.