ICMR – Gates Foundation Grand Challenge: Development of Aspirational Nutrient-Dense Food Products for Adolescent Girls and Women of Reproductive Age (WRA) to Prevent Anaemia

The Grand Challenge targets anaemia among adolescent girls and women of reproductive age in India, a persistent public health concern despite ongoing supplementation efforts. The condition carries serious implications for maternal and child health, productivity, and general wellbeing. The initiative seeks to close the nutritional gap through innovation in food product development.

ICMR, with the Gates Foundation, invites researchers, food manufacturers, and startups to create novel, culturally suitable, and acceptable nutrient-dense food products. These are intended as a sustainable and scalable dietary measure to support existing public health programmes, moving past iron-folate supplementation alone to weave essential micronutrients into everyday meals. The objective is a range of consumer-friendly food options that meaningfully cut anaemia rates nationwide, improving health outcomes for this key group.

The programme highlights interdisciplinary collaboration, merging nutrition science, food technology, and behavioural insights for effective public health results.

Applicants are required to begin by creating an account on the ICMR's ePMS portal, accessible at https://epms.icmr.org.in/. After registration, log in and navigate to the section designated for the "Grand Challenge: Development of Aspirational Nutrient-Dense Food Products".

A full proposal must then be drafted, following the structure set out in the official Request for Proposals (RFP), which can be downloaded from the ICMR website. The document should cover the scientific basis, approach, anticipated results, schedule, and a detailed cost breakdown. A completed budget template, along with a brief budget explanation of no more than one paragraph, should be attached.

The final submission should be compiled into a single file, either Word or PDF, and uploaded via the ePMS portal before the closing date. For assistance with technical issues related to the portal or the application procedure, queries may be directed to po.epms@icmr.gov.in or by phone at 011-26589571.

Proposals submitted under the ICMR – Gates Foundation Grand Challenge will be assessed through a staged review process. In the first stage, each application is checked for completeness, adherence to the required format, and fulfilment of eligibility conditions. Thereafter, a technical review committee, drawing on expertise in nutrition, food science, public health, and product development, evaluates the scientific merit, feasibility, originality, anticipated impact, and budgetary soundness of every proposal.

Applicants who advance past this stage may be called to present their ideas before a senior expert panel or selection committee. This panel examines the team’s capacity and how well the proposed work aligns with the strategic aims of the Grand Challenge. The final decision rests on a holistic appraisal of all criteria, with the goal of assembling a balanced set of varied and promising proposals.