Journal of African Development

Purpose: Researchers from different fields, institutions and countries are working together to solve problems that one subject alone cannot fully address. However, publishing more papers together does not always mean that researchers share knowledge equally or that their findings influence policy. This review examines how multidisciplinary research networks support knowledge exchange and what helps these partnerships continue.

Design/methodology: This review examined selected journal articles published between 2011 and October 2026. The search involved academic and publisher websites, checking cited studies and screening individual articles. A total of 43 different articles were recorded, and 33 were selected for a descriptive review. The findings were grouped into research networks, knowledge integration, barriers to collaboration, fairness in partnerships and the use of research knowledge.

Findings: The review highlights three main points. First, bringing researchers from different subjects together creates opportunities, but meaningful knowledge sharing requires shared goals and regular interaction. Second, collaboration can improve research output and visibility, but it may also create extra work and unequal control over funding, authorship and research decisions. Third, African research networks are still influenced by historical ties and international partners, although recent studies also show growing regional cooperation and better ways for researchers and policymakers to work together. The proposed REACH model focuses on Relevance, Equity, Access, Co-production and Handover.

Originality/value: This review brings together studies on research networks and knowledge exchange, with a special focus on development in Africa. It explains why publishing together is different from truly combining knowledge. It also highlights the importance of African research leadership, learning from one another and using research findings in practice