Annual Project Progress Report
Date
2026-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
FARA
Abstract
This publication presents the Annual Project Progress Report for the StEPPFoS project and provides an overview of project implementation progress, deliverable submissions, and coordination activities undertaken during the reporting year. The report documents achievements across multiple work packages and outlines the status of deliverables submitted to the European Commission under the Horizon Europe funding framework.
The report summarizes progress made in advancing evidence-based policy practice for sustainable food systems through activities related to research coordination, capacity building, stakeholder engagement, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, knowledge platform operationalisation, data management, and PANAP network expansion. It highlights completed deliverables, responsible lead institutions, reporting timelines, and implementation status across the consortium.
The publication further demonstrates the project’s collaborative governance structure and monitoring arrangements, emphasizing timely deliverable submission, coordination among consortium partners, and implementation tracking mechanisms designed to support accountability and efficient project management throughout the StEPPFoS lifecycle.
Description
This publication documents Deliverable D8.6 of the StEPPFoS project and provides the Annual Project Progress Report covering implementation achievements, deliverable tracking, and consortium coordination activities during the reporting period.
The report explains the project’s reporting structure under the Horizon Europe lump-sum funding mechanism and outlines the reporting periods established for months 18, 36, and 48 of the project lifecycle. It further describes consortium procedures for internal review and timely submission of deliverables to the European Commission.
The publication presents a structured overview of progress achieved under different work packages, including:
Evidence generation and data systems development
Capacity building for researchers and policymakers
Stakeholder engagement and networking
Knowledge management systems
Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) frameworks
PANAP network expansion and governance
Participatory project coordination and management
The report tracks completed and submitted deliverables under several work packages, including:
Work Package 1 – Evidence to Support Consortium Activities: Survey reports identifying capacity gaps and relevant data sources, Systematic overview of economic data and modelling tools, Stakeholder engagement plans and stakeholder databases
Work Package 3 – Information, Innovation and Knowledge Management Systems: PANAP-FNSSA MEL Framework Narrative Report, PANAP CSA MEL Framework Narrative Report, Report and operational guidelines for the PANAP website and knowledge platform
Work Package 7 – PANAP Network Expansion: Validated Terms of Reference (TOR) for the PANAP Network
Work Package 8 – Participatory Project Coordination and Management: Kick-off meeting minutes, Annual project plans and monitoring frameworks
Ethics Advisor’s Report, Initial Data Management Plan, Risk Assessment Report, Annual project progress reporting
The report identifies lead implementing institutions for various deliverables, including:
Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA)
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
LifeWatch ERIC (LWERIC)
AGRINATURA
The publication demonstrates the operational progress of the StEPPFoS consortium in strengthening evidence-informed policymaking, knowledge-sharing systems, and science-policy interfaces across African food systems under the AU-EU Partnership framework.
Keywords
Annual report, Progress report, Deliverables, Project management, Monitoring, Reporting, StEPPFoS, PANAP, Sustainable food systems, Horizon Europe, Knowledge management, Capacity building, Science-policy interface, Consortium coordination, Research collaboration
Citation
Antwi, K. D., & Onakuse, S. (2025). Annual Project Progress Report (StEPPFoS Deliverable Report D8.6; FDN #67). Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).