New methods help China fight drought

A local villager carries the water barrels to irrigate the field suffering  the severe drought in Weining County of southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 13, 2010. A severe drought in southwest China, which local people  say is the worst in a century, is forecast to linger till the start of  the rainy season in May, according to two provincial meteorological  stations in Yunnan and Guizhou. (Xinhua/Ou Dongqu)

In the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region's Fusui County, this local reservoir is storing only a quarter of the amount of water it held last year.

To ensure necessary conservation, local officials have stopped using water to generate power since last September.

People are making the most of what they have.

Farmers, for example, are covering their land with plastic to reduce evaporation.

In Yunnan Province's Luliang County, another method is being used to fight the drought.

The local government has organized farmers to work in costal areas.

Li Zhanliang, local villager, said, "If I go out to work, I can make 50 yuan per day. That's 15 thousand a year. Much better than farming at home."

Li and his wife were just two among the many farmers ready to go out of the area to work.

With a serious drought ravaging their home, joining the team of migrants seems to be a pretty good way to help their families at this time.