World production of maize has shown a slight but steady increase over the years, but human consumption of the grain has remain mostly steady (see Figure 1*). The explanation for this is in Figure 2*, which shows that the majority of the increase in production has corresponded to an increase in the use of corn for animal feed. However, maize is still a staple food source for many people, especially in Africa. Figure 3* shows the top countries consuming corn for human nutrition. The countries are listed in order based on kg/capita/year, but you will notice that the calories from that supply differ according to the nutritional value of maize grown in or imported into that region.

Photo by Molly Fogleman

* FAOSTAT 2006 data