Report on Functionality of PANAP CollabNet Platform
Date
2026-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
FARA
Abstract
This report presents a comprehensive overview of the PANAP Network4Collaboration Platform developed under the StEPPFoS project to strengthen collaboration, networking, and knowledge exchange among members of the Pan-African Network for Economic Analysis of Policies (PANAP). The platform serves as a virtual collaborative environment connecting researchers, policymakers, development practitioners, and stakeholders from Africa and Europe working on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture.
The publication documents the participatory and co-creation approach used in the platform’s development, beginning with stakeholder workshops and requirements assessments conducted with key PANAP members. User feedback informed the design of core functionalities including multilingual navigation, networking tools, collaborative workspaces, a marketplace for opportunities and events, resources repositories, and training modules.
The report further outlines the technical implementation, stakeholder validation processes, onboarding and training activities, and mitigation strategies addressing barriers such as poor internet connectivity, language diversity, low engagement, and data security concerns. The PANAP CollabNet Platform is positioned as a strategic digital infrastructure supporting evidence-based policymaking, collaborative research, capacity building, and transcontinental partnerships within sustainable food systems governance.
Description
This publication documents Deliverable D3.4 of the StEPPFoS project and provides a detailed report on the functionality, design, implementation, and operationalisation of the PANAP Network4Collaboration Platform.
The report explains the conceptual and technical foundations of the collaborative platform and describes how it was developed to facilitate virtual interaction, policy dialogue, networking, and knowledge sharing among PANAP stakeholders across Africa and Europe.
The publication documents:
Participatory co-creation and stakeholder engagement processes
User requirements assessment workshops conducted at the European Commission Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Seville
Platform design, testing, validation, and implementation phases
Training sessions and onboarding processes for consortium members
Functional specifications and user-interface components
The report identifies four major functional areas prioritized by users during the co-creation process:
A collaborative space for:
Sharing funding opportunities
Announcing scholarships, events, and training programmes
Promoting collaboration opportunities
Brainstorming and policy discussions
Joint document and report preparation
A knowledge-sharing environment supporting access to:
Publications and policy briefs
Databases and datasets
Models and code repositories
Methodologies and implementation practices
StEPPFoS deliverables and training materials
A digital learning environment providing:
Mentorship and expert guidance
Training materials and webinars
Online courses and workshops
Collaborative learning opportunities
Capacity-building resources for researchers and policymakers
A professional networking system enabling:
User profiles and expertise mapping
Research collaboration matching
Stakeholder networking
Messaging and collaboration requests
Filtering by expertise, interests, and institutional affiliation
The publication further explains the platform’s multilingual capabilities, which support navigation in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese to facilitate inclusivity and transcontinental participation.
The report details several operational features of the platform, including:
Restricted-access authentication and role-based access
User profile management
News and event publication systems
Opportunity-sharing mechanisms
Collaborative networking spaces
Resource repositories and training portals
Search and filtering tools for stakeholders and opportunities
The publication also analyses implementation challenges and limitations identified during stakeholder consultations, including:
Limited internet connectivity
Language barriers
Low user engagement and participation
Maintenance and information updates
Data protection and security concerns
Time-zone differences among users
Corrective measures and mitigation strategies proposed in the report include multilingual support, onboarding sessions, asynchronous collaboration tools, secure restricted-access systems, and user-driven content management.
The report concludes that the PANAP CollabNet Platform represents a significant contribution to strengthening science-policy collaboration, evidence-informed policymaking, and sustainable food systems governance by providing a user-centred digital ecosystem for knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation.
Keywords
PANAP, CollabNet, Network4Collaboration, Knowledge platform, Digital collaboration, Evidence-based policymaking, Food systems, Sustainable agriculture, Knowledge sharing, Networking platform, Capacity building, Science-policy interface, Virtual collaboration, Research collaboration, Policy dialogue, Multilingual platform
Citation
Soto, I., Mellado, A., & Panque, J. (2025). Report on functionality of PANAP CollabNet Platform (StEPPFoS Deliverable Report D3.4; FDN #63). Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).