Themes and Areas of Exploration

1. Climate Resilient & Sustainable Food Systems

Focus :

Transformative food production systems that dramatically reduce ecological strain and climate stress

Challenge areas :

● Climate resilient agriculture using advanced tech like AI, genome editing, microbiome, bio stimulants to transform fields into carbon sinks

● Alternate Agri-systems such as agroecology, hydroponics, permaculture, food forests and other climate-resilient food ecosystems

● Precision fermentation to deliver low environment footprint food ingredients such as dairy proteins, protein-based sweeteners, dietary fibers, cultured meat

● Water-efficient and energy-smart methods of food processing

● Scalable urban farming ideas

Why it matters : Climate volatility directly affects supply chains, costs and food security. This theme invites solutions that transform food systems and future-proof ‘food’

2. Nutrition, Health and Future Foods for the Masses

Focus :

Align food systems with evolving nutrition and health needs

Challenge areas :

● Affordable nutritious foods and diet diversity for children, women and elderly

● Addressing malnutrition through novel formulations and emerging technologies such as biofortification

● Smart proteins and functional foods to reduce pressure on conventional agriculture while improving nutrition access

● Clean labels, functional foods and personalized nutrition solutions

● New models that leverage frontline health workers, strengthen nutrition literacy and influence healthier community food choices, with a focus on rural & tribal populations, children, women and senior citizens

● Food innovations that can multi-fold enhance the effectiveness of large-scale public programs like PM Poshan and Anemia Mukt Bharat to improve micronutrient outcomes

● Innovations in the informal food sector, such as street food, to create safer and nutritious options for consumers while also providing livelihoods

Why it matters : Food systems must not only feed populations but also improve health outcomes and meet changing consumer needs and expectations

3. Inclusive & Farmer-linked Food Value Chains

Focus :

Strengthening livelihoods and equity across food value chains

Food systems must revitalize rural economies by engaging farmer communities, food producer organizations, women self-help groups to create inclusive, sustainable economic growth and develop resilience

Challenge areas :

● Food systems that enable rural entrepreneurs to scale sustainable food-based businesses, reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access and provide fair pricing

● Aggregation, logistics and cold chain solutions to transform FPOs, SHGs and MSMEs and make them key pillars of sustainable food systems

● Local food resources and NUS (neglected and underutilized species) based viable rural enterprises that also deliver dietary diversity besides livelihoods

● Women and youth-led food enterprise innovations

● Innovations that strengthen circular rural economies while preserving cultural and ecological diversity

Why it matters : Inclusive growth ensures that innovation benefits farmers and small processors, not just end consumers

4. Waste to Value Solutions

Focus :

Food loss and waste reflect inefficiencies across production, storage, distribution and consumption. Transforming waste into value through upcycling agri-waste, reducing urban food waste and redesigning systems can build circular, equitable food economies

Challenge areas :

● Valorizing agricultural waste and by-product streams into high-value products at scale

● Innovating urban food waste systems to capture surplus efficiently and redistribute it to underserved populations

● Innovations that address behavioral and/or technological interventions to reduce household and food-service waste without compromising convenience

Why it matters : Minimizing loss, reshaping consumer habits and improving surplus redistribution ensure that food is treated as a valuable resource while supporting sustainability and reducing hunger

5. Transformative food education

Focus :

Transformative food education that equips learners with the knowledge, skills and agency to advance healthy societies and a healthy planet

Challenge areas:

● Innovative experiential learning programs using immersive technologies, gamification to reshape young people’s understanding of sustainable food systems

● Educational models empowering students to influence family and community dietary behavior

● Leveraging new technologies (AI, virtual reality, augmented reality, etc) to transform school education to integrate local food traditions with science-based nutrition and sustainability principles

Why it matters: By shaping youth as conscious consumers and change-makers, it fosters long-term shifts in dietary habits, environmental stewardship and community wellbeing

6. Smart & Digital Transformation of Food Systems

Focus :

Step change in efficiency, transparency and decision-making in food systems

Challenge areas:

● AI, IoT, block chain for quality control, traceability, shelf-life prediction

● Carbon footprint tracking and reduction in farms, food industries and at consumer use

● Digital platforms for farmer–processor–retailer integration

● Blockchain for food safety, authenticity and exports

● Predictive analytics for demand, pricing and inventory

Why it matters: Digital tools can dramatically reduce losses, enhance trust, boost competitiveness

Evaluation Criteria

Solutions will be assessed on:

● Innovative: Creative, thoughtful, non–quick-fix ideas

● Relevant: Locally grounded, accessible and context-aware

● Scalable: Able to grow sustainably without compromising values

● Replicable: Adaptable across similar contexts

● Equitable: Fair to communities, ecosystems and all life

● Feasible: Realistic with pilot potential

Learning Outcomes

Participants will:

● Understand India’s food systems challenges and opportunities

● Develop interdisciplinary problem-solving skills

● Gain hands-on experience in innovation design

● Receive mentorship from national experts

● Join a national Youth Food Systems Network

● Build prototypes and pitch to experts across academia, industry and policy

Key Dates

● 31 January 2026: Registration and Idea Submission Deadline
● February 2026: Online Presentations and Selection
● March–August 2026: Mentorship and Incubation
● September 2026: Final Presentations