Scoping Report on Exchange Institutions for Knowledge Sharing

Abstract

This scoping report examines the capacities, institutional structures, collaboration mechanisms, and knowledge-sharing practices of exchange institutions involved in the StEPPFoS consortium under the EU-AU Partnership on Sustainable Food Systems. The report contributes to Work Package 1 (WP1) of the StEPPFoS project, which seeks to generate evidence to support consortium activities and strengthen research-policy linkages within Africa’s food and nutrition ecosystems.

Using an online rapid survey administered to all 16 consortium partner institutions across 11 countries, the study achieved a 100% response rate and mapped institutional roles, capacities, governance arrangements, knowledge-sharing platforms, and stakeholder engagement approaches. The findings reveal that participating institutions primarily focus on research, policy engagement, multi-stakeholder dialogue facilitation, capacity building, and digital platform development. Knowledge exchange activities are largely implemented through workshops, conferences, publications, digital hubs, and collaborative learning platforms.

The report identifies several emerging trends shaping knowledge exchange, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence and machine learning, virtual collaboration, participatory design, crowdsourcing, and open-access knowledge systems. However, persistent barriers such as weak digital infrastructure, limited monitoring and evaluation systems, intellectual property concerns, data security limitations, stakeholder resistance to evidence uptake, and language and cultural barriers continue to constrain effective knowledge dissemination and policy influence.

The study recommends strengthening institutional collaboration, enhancing digital infrastructure, promoting inclusive and equitable knowledge-sharing systems, expanding participatory and co-creation approaches, investing in evidence synthesis capacities, and developing robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems. It concludes that strengthening Africa’s knowledge exchange ecosystem requires sustained investment in partnerships, digital innovation, inclusive engagement, and adaptive knowledge systems capable of supporting evidence-informed policymaking and sustainable food systems transformation.