The second phase of N2Africa started on the 1st January 2014 and it has been a very busy time writing up reports and getting started with our new strategy. N2Africa is going through some major changes in staffing and we extend a very warm thanks to all of those staff who are moving on to new challenges. Jeroen Huising has moved to a new position at IITA, Ibadan. Linus Franke has taken up a position as Senior Lecturer at the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

We received a message that the Africa Business Leadership Training Center is organizing online and distance learning certificate courses, to be conducted from 1st April 2014 to 1st June 2014.

The marketing modules seem interesting for country coordinators, agronomists, BDOs considering the direction N2Africa is taking. The text of the announcement and the information on the Marketing Certificate Course are available to those who want to know more.

N2Africa seeks applicants for five PhD "sandwich" scholarships available to start in September 2014. We seek candidates with an excellent academic record a strong commitment to advancing science to enhance agricultural productivity of grain legumes in sub-Saharan Africa and their use by smallholder farmers. All students will register for their PhD at Wageningen University. Preference will be given to candidates who are employed by a national university or research institute in the country specified for each of the PhD scholarships.