New Delhi, Apr 21 (IANS): Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar participated in an extraordinary virtual meeting of G-20 Agriculture Ministers on Tuesday to address the issue of Covid-19 impacts on food security, safety and nutrition.

Sharing the measures taken to contain the spread of coronavirus in India, Tomar informed his counterparts that the Government of India has decided to exempt all agricultural operations from the lockdown measures to ensure continued availability of essential agricultural produce and supply, while adhering to the protocols of social distancing, health and hygiene.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been at the forefront of supporting th other countries to tide over this crisis in various ways and that agriculture will not lag behind, consistent with the needs of the citizens.

The G-20 Agriculture Ministers' virtual meeting was organised through video conferencing by the Saudi Presidency to deliberate on the ways and means of ensuring continuity of the food supply value chain, including the livelihood of the farmers.

Agriculture Ministers of all G-20 member nations and the representatives of some guest countries and international organisations attended the meeting.

The G-20 nations resolved to have international cooperation in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid food wastages and losses, and maintain the continuity of the food supply value chain across borders.

They also resolved to work together for food security and nutrition, share best practices and lessons learnt, promote research, responsible investments, innovations and reforms that will improve the sustainability and resilience of agriculture and food systems.