Guyana to boost relief efforts amid worsening drought

GEORGETOWN, Guyana _ Guyana says it is creating a special task force to improve relief efforts amid a prolonged drought that has shriveled crops across the South American country.

The office of President David Granger made the announcement Friday after farmers reported losing more than 7,000 acres (2,830 hectares) of rice fields and hundreds of acres (hectares) of cassava and peanut fields. Farmers also have complained that they have not received any water from the government’s emergency irrigation canals.

Rice is one of Guyana’s main exports.

Granger has said there’s a need to drill more wells because Guyana has not received significant rainfall for almost 10 months.

The Associated Press