StEPPFoS Project Initial Data Management Plan
Date
2026-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
FARA
Abstract
This publication presents the Initial Data Management Plan (DMP) for the StEPPFoS project and establishes the framework for the responsible management, preservation, dissemination, and long-term accessibility of data generated throughout the project lifecycle. The document provides operational guidelines for handling research data, metadata, publications, digital assets, and other project outputs in compliance with Horizon Europe requirements and FAIR data principles.
The DMP outlines mechanisms for ensuring that project data are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR), while also addressing ethical compliance, data security, intellectual property rights, and GDPR requirements. It describes procedures for metadata creation, repository management, controlled access, data preservation, and open science dissemination through institutional repositories such as AARIISpace, FARADataInformS, and Zenodo.
The publication further documents the governance arrangements, workflows, and technical infrastructure supporting data stewardship within the StEPPFoS consortium. It provides metadata templates, accessibility classifications, interoperability standards, repository workflows, and guidance for the long-term sustainability of research outputs generated through the project’s multi-country and multi-stakeholder collaborations.
Description
This publication documents Deliverable D8.3 of the StEPPFoS project and provides the Initial Data Management Plan guiding the management of research data and digital assets generated during implementation of the project.
The report establishes the procedures, standards, and governance mechanisms for managing project data in accordance with Horizon Europe data management requirements and FAIR principles. It explains how consortium partners will collect, document, preserve, secure, disseminate, and archive data generated under the project.
The publication includes detailed guidance on:
Data collection and documentation procedures
Metadata standards and templates
FAIR data principles implementation
Data accessibility and repository structures
GDPR compliance and ethical safeguards
Data interoperability and reusability standards
Long-term preservation and storage strategies
Intellectual property rights and licensing considerations
The report explains that the StEPPFoS project will generate diverse forms of data, including:
Surveys and questionnaires
Policy analysis datasets
Audio and video interview recordings
Publications and reports
Presentations and images
Statistical and tabular datasets
Metadata records
Research outputs, models, and software
A major contribution of the publication is its articulation of the project’s FAIR data strategy. The report explains how datasets and research outputs will be made:
Findable through DOI assignment and metadata registration
Accessible via controlled and open repositories
Interoperable through standardized formats and vocabularies
Reusable using open licenses and documented metadata standards
The document also outlines the digital repository ecosystem supporting the project, including:
FARA Archive System (AARIISpace)
FARADataInformS
Zenodo Repository
CollabNet Platform (LifeWatch ERIC)
A data workflow diagram on page 8 visually illustrates the movement of internal and external project data between repositories, collaboration platforms, dissemination channels, and archival systems.
The report further defines three levels of data accessibility:
Restricted data
Consortium-accessible data
Open-access data
It also establishes detailed metadata structures for generated datasets, including fields for:
Dataset reference names
Data creators and affiliations
Repository locations
Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)
Access status and embargo periods
Related publications and citations
The publication provides extensive guidance on ethical and privacy safeguards, including informed consent procedures, anonymization protocols, secure storage arrangements, and GDPR-compliant handling of personal data across EU and non-EU consortium countries.
The annexes contain a reusable metadata template for documenting project datasets and a sample metadata framework to support future data registration and repository integration.
Keywords
Data Management Plan, DMP, FAIR Data, Metadata, GDPR, Open Science, Data Governance, Research Data, Digital Repositories, Zenodo, AARIISpace, FARADataInformS, Data Preservation, Interoperability, Open Access, Knowledge Management, Research Infrastructure
Citation
Soto, I., Abugri, B., Romero-Vasquez, G., & Antwi, K. D. (2024). Initial Data Management Plan (StEPPFoS Deliverable Report D8.3; FDN #65). Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).