China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) will allocate 1.6 billion yuan (about 223.8 million U.S. dollars) for two farmer training programs.

One is designed to improve farmers' anti-disaster abilities and production skills right before the spring plough, said the MOA on Tuesday. The other is to provide professional training for farmers who want to become migrant workers.

To date, drought and snow have affected about 22.9 million hectares of the country's arable land, more than one-sixth of the total, according to official figures.

About 33,000 villages in 670 counties, which accounts for about one-third of the total, will each receive 15,000 yuan in training subsidies, the MOA said. The villages are major produce bases, disaster-hit areas or poor and remote places.

The program for migrant workers plans to train 3.5 million farmers this year with a subsidy of 314 yuan each, according to the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency February 27, 2008)