business plan for maize production

Maize Farming Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business ideas » Agriculture Industry » Crop Cultivation » Maize Farming

Are you about starting a maize farm? If YES, here’s a complete sample maize farming business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE.

Corn is very nutritious and it is known to be eaten in various forms by both humans and livestock.  As a matter of fact, corn is used as the main energy ingredient in livestock feed. Corn is also processed into a multitude of food and industrial products including starch, sweeteners, corn oil, beverages, industrial alcohol and fuel ethanol et al.

Maize (corn) farming is known to be a profitable business and over the years, it has evolved from small scale to a global industry in most countries where it is carried out.

A Sample Maize Farming Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

Businesses in the maize (corn) farming industry primarily grow corn (except sweet corn) and produce corn seeds. Corn commonly refers to the grains or kernels of the tall annual cereal grass Zea mays, and it is a staple cereal in many parts of the world.

In the united states, it is most commonly used as livestock feed and in the production of ethanol, sweeteners, oil and other related products.

If you are a close watcher of the Maize Farming industry, you will realize that the industry is experiencing decline and falling from historic heights. In the united states, new federal regulations created a significant new market for maize, leading maize production to skyrocket in the early part of the last five years.

This increase in production eventually led to an oversupply of the crop, especially as downstream biofuel production has slowed since 2013 due to market saturation. However, global demand for maize has renewed. The industry is expected to bounce back from the lows of the previous five-year period.

Planted acreage will decrease, leading to a slight decrease in production volumes, which will in turn reduce oversupply and create healthy demand for the crop.

The Maize (Corn) Farming Industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world especially in developed countries such as United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Australia and Italy et al.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 141,669 licensed and registered maize farms responsible for employing about 155,526 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $51 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at -0.8 percent.

A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that typical of the agricultural sector, the Maize (Corn) Farming industry in the United States is overwhelmingly composed of a large number of relatively small operators, many of which are family owned farms.

In fact, 50.1 percent of farms plant corn acreage totaling less than 100 acres. Conversely, only 14.4 percent of corn is produced on farms covering 500 acres or more.

The report also shows that there is a long-term trend toward fewer farms across the agricultural sector, which also applies to corn farmers. Industry concentration is growing largely due to rising costs and intensifying competition; as conditions toughen; smaller farms are forced to sell their land.

As a result, fewer, yet larger farms emerge across the industry. As a matter of fact, with the recent advancement in technology, farmers can now comfortably grow crops such as maize in a country where such crops can hardly survive.

One thing is certain when it comes to commercial maize farming, if you are able to conduct your market research and feasibility studies before choosing a location to cultivate your maize, you are more likely not going to struggle to sell your maize because there are always food processing companies and consumers out there who are ready to buy from you.

Lastly, with commercial maize farming, it will pay you to not only cultivate maize and sell them for consumption in farm markets to retailers and consumers.

You can as well start a complimentary business like building a maize processing plant to process and package your maize (corn). The bottom line is that if you have enough farm land (space) and you are interested in maximizing commercial maize farming, you are sure going to make huge profits from the business.

2. Executive Summary

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is a registered commercial farm that will be based in the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey – United States. We have done our detailed market research and feasibility studies and we were able to secure a well – situated and suitable farm land to start our commercial maize farming.

Our commercial maize farm is a standard farm hence will be involved in commercial maize cultivation, maize processing and packaging. We will be involved in both organic commercial maize farming and non – organic commercial maize farming.

We have put plans in place that will help us launch a standard and world – class maize processing plant within the first three years of officially running Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. We will process and package maize and ensure that they flood the market both in the United States and in other countries of the world.

We want to compete with the best in the industry, which is why asides from the fact that we have secured the required farm land and most of the farming equipment and machines, we have also hired some key employees who are currently undergoing training so as to fit into the ideal picture of the 21 st  century commercial maize farm workforce that we want to build.

We are in the commercial maize farming business because we want to leverage on the vast opportunities available in the commercial farming industry to contribute our quota in growing the U.S. economy, in national food production, raw materials production for industries, to export agriculture produce from the United States to other countries and over and above to make profit.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is well positioned to become one of the leading commercial maize farms in the United States of America, which is why we have been able to source for the best hands and farm machinery to run the farm with.

We have put processes and strategies in place that will help us employ best practices when it comes to commercial maize farming as required by the regulating bodies in the United States of America.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is a family business that is owned by Mr. Kent Bloomberg and his immediate family members. The farm cum business will be fully and single handedly financed by Kent Bloomberg and his immediate family members.

Before starting Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc., Kent Bloomberg has worked with some of the leading commercial farms and food processing plants in the United States of America; he has a degree (B.Sc.) in Agricultural Science from the University of New Jersey.

3. Our Products and Services

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is a world class commercial farm that is committed to cultivating both organic and non – organic maize (corn) for both the United States’ market and the global market. We are in business to produce both food and raw materials for people and industries in commercial quantities. We will also ensure that we operate a standard maize processing and packaging plant as part of our complimentary business.

We are in this line of business to make profits, and we will ensure that we do all that is allowed by the law of the United States of America to achieve our business goals and objectives. These are the areas we will concentrate on in our commercial maize farms. If need arises we will definitely cultivate related crops;

• Cultivation of variety of maize (organic and non – organic)
• Standard Food Processing Plant

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our vision is to become one of the leading commercial maize farms and maize processing and packing brand not just in the United States of America but also on the global stage.
• Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.  is a world class commercial maize farm that is in business to cultivate organic, non – organic and processed maize for both the United States market and the international market.
• We want our well – packaged maize to flood every nooks and crannies of the United States and other countries of the world.

Our Business Structure

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is a commercial maize farm that intends starting small in Trenton – New Jersey, but hopes to grow big in order to compete favorably with leading commercial maize farms in the commercial farming industry both in the United States and on the global stage.

We are aware of the importance of building a solid business structure that can support the picture of the kind of world class business we want to own. For this reason, we are committed to only hire the best hands in and around New Jersey.

At Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc., we will ensure that we hire people that are qualified, hardworking, dedicated, customer centric and ready to work to help us build a prosperous business that will benefit all the stake holders (the owners, workforce, and customers).

In view of the above, Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. have decided to hire qualified and competent hands to occupy the following positions;

• Chief Operating Officer

General Farm Manager

Administrator/Accountant

Maize Cultivation Manager/Supervisor

• Maize Processing and Packaging Plant Manager
• Sales and Marketing Executive
• Field Employees
• Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Operating Officer:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities
• Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Responsible for the planning, management and coordinating all farm activities across the various sections on behalf of the organization
• Supervise other section managers (corn cultivation manager and corn processing and packaging manager)
• Ensure compliance during project executions
• Providing advice on the management of farming activities across all sections
• Responsible for carrying out risk assessment
• Using IT systems and software to keep track of people and progress of the growth of crops (maize)
• Responsible for overseeing the accounting, costing and sale of farm produce after harvest
• Represent the organization’s interest at various stakeholders’ meetings
• Ensures that farming goals are achieved, the most efficient resources (manpower, equipment, tools and chemicals et al) are utilized and different interests involved are satisfied. Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
• Handles all financial transactions for the company
• Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
• Carrying out staff induction for new team members
• Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
• Oversees the smooth running of the daily farming activities across the various farming sections
• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for the farm
• Serves as internal auditor for the farm
• Responsible for managing the maize cultivation section of the commercial maize farm
• Supervises other workers within the department
• Works closely with the General Manager to achieve the organizations’ goals and objectives

Maize Processing and Packaging Manager/Supervisor

• Responsible for managing the maize processing and packaging section of the commercial farm

Sales and Marketing Officer

• Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of relevant projects
• Writing winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with company policy
• Responsible for handling business research, marker surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develop, execute and evaluate new plans for expanding increase sales
• Document all customer contact and information
• Represent the company in strategic meetings
• Help increase sales and growth for the farm

Field Workers/Contract Staff

• Responsible for preparing farm lands for maize cultivation
• Responsible for watering the maize crop
• Weeding or fertilizer and/or pest control application
• Handle farm implements and machines as instructed by the section manager/supervisor
• Assist in handling the harvest of maize (corns)
• Carry out tasks in line with the stated job description
• Assist in transporting working tools and equipment from the farm and back to the designated store room
• Handles any other duties as assigned by the line manager

Client Service Executive/Front Desk Officer

• Welcomes guests and clients to the farm by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the company’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the manager in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients
• Receives parcels/documents for Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.
• Distribute mails in Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.

6. SWOT Analysis

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. does not intend to launch out with trial and error hence the need to conduct a proper SWOT analysis.

We know that if we get it right from the onset, we would have succeeded in creating the foundation that will help us build a standard maize farm that will favorably compete with leading commercial maize farms in the United States of America and in other parts of the world.

We are quite aware that there are several large, medium and small scale maize farms all over Trenton – New Jersey and even in the same place where we intend locating ours, which is why we are following the due process of establishing a business.

We know that if a proper SWOT analysis is conducted for our business, we will be able to position our business to maximize our strength, leverage on the opportunities that will be available to us, mitigate our risks and be equipped to confront our threats.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. employed the services of an expert HR and Business Analyst with bias in the commercial farming industry to help us conduct a thorough SWOT analysis and to help us create a Business model that will help us achieve our business goals and objectives.

Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.;

Our strength as a commercial maize farm is in the fact that we have healthy relationships with loads of major players (agriculture merchants who deal in corn) in the commercial farms industry; both suppliers and buyers within and outside of the United States.

We have some of the latest commercial farming machines, tools and corn processing equipment that will help us cultivate corn in commercial quantities with less stress. Aside from our relationship (network) and equipment, we can confidently boast that we have some the most experienced hands in Trenton – New Jersey on our payroll.

Our weakness could be that we are a new commercial maize farm in the United States, and perhaps the fact that we decided to diversify our farming activities could count against us initially. We are aware of this and from our projection; we will overcome this weakness with time and turn it to a major advantage for the business.

• Opportunities:

The opportunities that are available to us cannot be quantified; we know that there are loads of individuals who consume both organic and non – organic corn in different forms both in the United States of America and other parts of the world.

We will ensure that we maximize the opportunities available to commercial maize farmers. Due to their rising popularity, GM seeds account for a significant amount of revenue and the demand for maize is anticipated to keep growing as renewable energy targets rise each year.

Some of the threats and challenges that we are likely going to face when we start our own commercial maize farm are global economic downturn that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics), unfavorable government policies and the arrival of a competitor (a commercial farm that cultivates same crop – maize) within same location.

There is hardly anything you can do as regards these threats and challenges other than to be optimistic that things will continue to work for your good.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

One of the common trends in the commercial maize farming line of business is that most players in the industry are no longer concentrating only on non – organic maize farming. They now find it easier to run both organic maize cultivation and non – organic maize cultivation.

It is fact that despite that organic food are expensive, the sale for organic food is on the increase and it is indeed profitable.

Despite the fact that commercial maize farming has been in existence since time immemorial, this does not in any way make the industry to be over saturated; commercial maize farmers are exploring new technology to continue to improve the cultivation, preservation and processing process. The fact that there is always a ready market for maize makes the business highly profitable.

Lastly, it is a common trend to find standard commercial maize farmers run a corn processing plant business alongside their farm. It is a means of maximizing profit in the business. Besides, maize is consumed by both human and livestock hence it is ideal to process, package and ship it to other countries of the world.

8. Our Target Market

It is a known fact that the target markets of those who are the end consumers of maize in any form and who benefit from the business value chain of commercial maize farming is all encompassing.

Almost every household consumes maize in different forms. In essence a commercial maize farmer should be able to sell his or her farm produce to as many people as possible including hotels, grocery stores, restaurants, livestock farmers and production companies that make use of corn as raw materials.

We will ensure that we position our business to attract consumers of maize not just in the United States of America alone but also other parts of the world which is why we will be exporting some of our farm produce either in raw or processed form to other countries of the world.

Our competitive advantage

The truth is that, it is easier to find entrepreneurs flocking towards an industry that is known to generate consistent income which is why there are more commercial farmers in the United States of America and of course in most parts of the world.

As a matter of fact, entrepreneurs are encouraged by the government to embrace commercial farming. This is so because part of the success of any nation is her ability to cultivate her own food and also export foods to other nations of the world.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is fully aware that there are competitions when it comes to selling commercial farm produce including corn all over the globe, which is why we decided to carry out thorough research so as to know how to take advantage of the available market in the United States and in other parts of the world.

We have done our homework and we have been able to highlight some factors that will give us competitive advantage in the marketplace; some of the factors are effective and reliable maize farming processes that can help us sell our produce at competitive prices, good network and excellent relationship management.

Another competitive advantage that we are bringing to the industry is the fact that we have designed our business in such a way that we will operate an all – round standard commercial maize farm that will also include a corn processing plant. With this, we will be able to take advantage of all the available opportunities within the industry.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category (start – ups commercial maize farms) in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us, help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is in the commercial farming business for the purpose of maximizing profits hence we have decided to explore all the available opportunities within the industry to achieve our corporate goals and objectives.

In essence we are not going to rely only on the sale of our farm produce to generate income for the business. Below are the sources we intend exploring to generate income for Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.;

• Cultivation of various species of maize (both organic and non – organic)

10. Sales Forecast

We conducted a thorough market survey and feasibility studies and we were able to discover that the sales generated by a commercial farm depends on the size of the farm and the nature of the commercial farm.

We have perfected our sales and marketing strategies and we are quite optimistic that we will meet or even surpass our set sales target of generating enough income/profits from the first year of operation and build the business from survival to sustainability.

We have been able to critically examine the agriculture industry cum commercial maize (corn) farm line of business, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast.

• First Fiscal Year-: $200,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $400,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown that can impact negatively on household spending, bad weather cum natural disasters (draughts, epidemics), and unfavorable government policies. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We are quite aware that the reason why some commercial maize farms hardly make good profit is their inability to sell off their maize as at when due. Corn ripens within a short time after harvest and if they are not sold or processed, they will get so hard that it won’t be good for direct consumption. In view of that, we decided to set up a standard corn processing plant to help us

• Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to stakeholders in the agriculture industry, grocery stores, maize merchants, hotels, production companies that rely on supply of maize as raw materials and maize processing plants et al.
• Advertise our business in agriculture and food related magazines and websites
• List our commercial maize farm on yellow pages ads
• Attend related agriculture and food expos, seminars, and business fairs et al
• Leverage on the internet to promote our business
• Engage in direct marketing
• Encourage the use of Word of mouth marketing (referrals)

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

Any business that wants to grow beyond the corner of the street or the city they are operating from must be ready and willing to utilize every available means (both conventional and non – conventional means) to advertise and promote the business.

We intend growing our business which is why we have perfected plans to build our brand via every available means. Below are the platforms we will leverage on to boost our commercial maize farm brand and to promote and advertise our business;

• Place adverts on both print (newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook, twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our business
• Install our billboards in strategic locations all around Trenton – New Jersey
• Engage in roadshows from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact hotels, restaurants, grocery stores, production companies that rely on the supply of corn, agriculture produce merchants and residents in our target areas by calling them up and informing them of Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. and the farm produce we sell
• List our commercial maize farms in local directories/yellow pages
• Advertise our commercial maize farms in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our vehicles and trucks are well branded with our company logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

If you want to get the right pricing for your farm produce, then you should ensure that you choose a good location for your commercial farm, choose a good breed/seed that will guarantee bountiful harvest, cut the cost of running your farm to the barest minimum and of course try as much as possible to attract buyers to your farm as against taking your farm produce to the market to source for buyers; with this, you would have successfully eliminated the cost of transporting your harvest to the market and other logistics.

We are quite aware that one of the easiest means of penetrating the market and acquiring loads of customers for all our corn is to sell them at competitive prices hence we will do all we can to ensure that the prices of our corn are going to be what other commercial corn farmers would look towards beating.

One thing is certain, the nature of commercial farming makes it possible for farmers to place prices for their farm produce based on their discretion without following the benchmark in the industry. The truth is that it is one of the means of avoiding running into a loss. The earlier you sell off your harvested maize, the better for your business.

• Payment Options

The payment policy adopted by Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America.

Here are the payment options that Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. will make available to her clients;

• Payment via bank transfer
• Payment with cash
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines)
• Payment via mobile money transfer
• Payment via bank draft

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for farm produce purchase without any stress on their part. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials.

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to calculating the cost of starting a commercial maize farm with a corn processing plant, there are some key factors that should serve as a guide. Factors such as the capacity of maize processing plant you want to own and the size of the commercial maize farm.

Besides, in setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to start a world – class commercial farm, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your farm is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, visions and aspirations for your business. The tools and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting a commercial maize farm; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. Below are some of the basic areas we will spend our start – up capital in setting up our commercial maize farm;

• The total fee for incorporating the business in United States of America – $750
• The total cost for payment of insurance policy covers (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) at a total premium – $9,400
• The amount needed to acquire/lease a farm land – $50,000
• The amount required for preparing the farm land – $70,000
• The cost for acquiring the required working tools and equipment/machines/fencing et al – $10,000
• The amount required for purchase of the first set of maize seedlings et al – $50,000
• The amount required to set up a standard maize processing plant within the farm facility – $100,000
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $40,000
• The cost of launching an official website – $600
• The amount required for payment of workers for a period of 3 months – $100,000
• Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,000

Going by the report from detailed research and feasibility studies conducted, we will need an average of $500,000 to start a standard commercial maize farm with corn processing plant business in the United States of America. These are some of the equipment that we would need to fully launch our commercial maize farm,

• Soil cultivator
• Harrow (e.g. Spike harrow, Drag harrow, Disk harrow)
• Stone / Rock / Debris removal implement (e.g. Destoner, Rock windrower / rock rake, Stone picker / picker)
• Broadcast seeder (alternatively: broadcast spreader, fertilizer spreader or Air seeder)
• Plastic mulch layer
• Transplanter
• Sprinkler system irrigation
• Wheel Barrow

Basically, the nature of commercial maize farms does not require an office space; most people that run commercial farms operate directly from their farms. But we have decided to open a small liaison office; a place where administrative jobs will be carried out on behalf of the business.

Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.

No matter how fantastic your business idea might be, if you don’t have the required money to finance the business, the business might not become a reality. Finance is a very important factor when it comes to starting a business such as commercial maize farming business.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is a family business that will be owned and managed by Kent Bloomberg and his immediate family members. They are the sole financiers of the firm, but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas where we intend sourcing for fund for Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc.;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility)

N.B:  We have been able to generate about $100,000 ( Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $400,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the number of loyal customers that they have, the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business closes shop.

One of our major goals of starting Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to sell our farm produce (organic and non – organic corn and even processed and packaged corns) a little bit cheaper than what is obtainable in the market and we are well prepared to survive on lower profit margin for a while.

Kent Bloomberg® Maize Farms, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our organization’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner of our business strategy.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of five years or more as determined by the management of the organization. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry and they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List/Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check: Completed
• Business Incorporation: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts in various banks in the United States: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of All forms of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Leasing of farm land in Trenton – New Jersey and preparing the farm land: Completed
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Start – up Capital Generation: Completed
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging, Marketing/Promotional Materials: Completed
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Building/construction of cages and fence et al: In Progress
• Purchase of the needed working tools, machines and equipment: Completed
• Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
• Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
• Farm land Treatment, Health and Safety Arrangement: In Progress
• Establishing business relationship with vendors and key players in the industry (agriculture farm produce merchants, fertilizer suppliers and transporters et al): Completed

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Starting Maize Farming Business Plan (PDF)

Maize, also known as corn, is one of the most notable grain or cereal crops in the world.  After all, maize is a core part in the production of important products. Examples of such products are food products, ethanol, and livestock feeds, amongst others. The widespread cultivation of maize is due to those dynamics. Maize is relatively hassle-free to grow, handle, and store. Maize is also known as corn. In some countries, particularly Africa, maize is a staple food. Maize is grown widely in Africa, Americas, and Asia. So there is quite a huge demand for the food crop and its many products which is why it makes business sense to start a maize farming business. In this article we shall be looking at some essential knowledge areas that you must acquaint yourself with before you start the maize farming business, and the maize farming business plan – PDF, Word and Excel.

Maize farming is a lucrative business, providing income for millions of people, but there are some essential decisions that you need to make before you venture into the corn farming business. You have to make a decision on how many hectares you want to farm, which type of maize you will farm, which season you are going to plant your maize, and your target market. These choices will be affected by the amount of capital you have, and the size of your target  market.  If you do not have a lot of capital, you can always start small and grow your maize farming business overtime. You also need to carry out market research (Who are you going to sell the maize/corn to? At what price?) and write a corn farming business plan before you venture into the business. As indicated earlier, maize is also known as corn in other parts of the world.

Business Model

At a basic level, maize is cultivated for subsequent sale as grains or green mealies. These green mealies can be cooked or roasted. Then from post-harvest, the list of monetization approaches widens. The grain can be sold to millers who in turn process it into a wide assortment of food products including maize meal. You could even do the milling yourself and sell the end product. You can solely focus on cultivating maize seed. In countries where maize is the staple food, there is huge market of direct customers. As in, there are countless people looking to purchase maize for various uses.

Maize is an important industrial raw material so you can make money from that. For instance, maize is used in the production of alcohol and biofuels. You can sell to livestock feed producers; maize is a major ingredient of livestock feeds. Maize has global economic value so you can export it. There are significantly more returns from exporting your maize, especially to neighbouring countries. Numerous niching options when it comes to maize farming. That is why there are many business model options to pick from.

Land for Maize Farming Business

Type of soil is an important factor for a good maize harvest. Maize can be grown in a variety of soil types.  However it needs soil which is fertile and well drained. Another important factor is the pH of the soil, as it affects the availability of nutrients. Maize/Corn grow well in soil with pH of between 6-7. If the pH is lower than this, the maize produced will be of poor quality, and it may experience abnormal growth. Thus the pH of soil for maize should be close to neutral or slightly acidic. If the pH is too acidic, lime should be added to increase the pH of the soil to between pH 6-7. Other properties of good soil for maize include: sufficient and balanced quantities of plant nutrients, good internal soil drainage, good moisture, and good effective depth of the soil.  It is important that before you start farming maize/corn on your farm, you check whether the soil is suitable for maize farming. Your  corn farming business plan should take into account the cost of purchasing or renting the land.

Machinery and Equipment for Maize Farming

Land preparation must be properly done to ensure the soil is ready for the maize. The type of machinery and equipment needed for your maize farming business depends on the scale of production. For small scale this can be done using hand-held equipment whereas for medium to large scale heavy machinery such as tractors are needed.  Machinery and equipment which maybe needed include tractors, combine harvesters, fertilizer spreader equipment, irrigation equipment, spray equipment etc. Most farmers usually hire big machinery like tractors when they want to use them, rather than purchasing them outright as they are expensive.

Adequate water supply is also important meaning that irrigation maybe necessary. However maize farming can also be done without irrigation in areas which have a good supply of rainfall.  There may also be need of grid hydroelectricity energy for the irrigation systems, standby diesel generators for use during power outages, or solar powered irrigation systems. Farmers especially in the rural areas who do not have the modern farming equipment use animal drawn equipment in maize farming. The higher the level of mechanization at your corn farm, the higher the efficiency of your operations, and the profitability of your maize farming business. The maize farming business plan should include the costs of acquiring and hiring the various machinery and equipment.

Maize Farming Inputs

You require various farming inputs when doing maize farming. You start maize farming by planting maize seeds. Ensure that you use high quality maize seed from certified maize seed companies. It’s unwise to buy cheap, poor quality maize seeds as that will lead to poor harvest yield and low quality maize produce.

Fertilizers are also essential during maize farming as they support the growth of the maize by providing nutrients. The amount and type of fertilizers needed for maize farming depend on the fertility of the soil and the target yield. The most important nutrients for maize farming are Nitrogen and Phosphorous. Potassium and Zinc are also required.  Organic matter is also needed in maize farming. This can be in the form of compost, decayed leaves, animal manure etc. The functions of organic matter in maize farming include: increasing soil fertility, positively influencing the moisture level & temperature of the soil, increasing the soil friability and increasing the amount of decomposers organisms in the soil. Organic matter also increases the capacity of the soil to retain water and nutrients. It’s a soil conditioner.

Other essential maize farming inputs include herbicides, for effective weed control at your farm. Pesticides and fungicides are required for protecting your maize/corn plants against insects and fungi. Diligent measures must be put in place to fight against pests, diseases and weeds.  The costs of acquiring all these inputs should be included in your corn/maize farming business plan.

Pest And Disease Management

Field pests.

The most common field pests in maize farming are aphids, army worms, cutworms, leaf hoppers, and termites. Getting rid of these pests relies heavily on early detection and interventions. The first defence is proper land preparation and regular weed control. This alone can avoid incidences of pest insect pest infestations. Then as a rule of thumb you must always inspect your maize crop daily. Once you notice any insect pests you use chemical methods such as insecticides.

Animal Pests

These animal pests feed on the maize crop thus destroying the crop. Examples are pigs, rodents, baboons, monkeys, and birds, amongst others. Warding off most these animal pests requires robust physical security e.g. perimeter fences. You can also consider having people who scare off the animal pests. Scarecrows have also proven to be very effective in keeping animal pests away.

Storage Pests

In maize farming you need to know there are 2 main groups of storage pests. These are primary pests, secondary pests. The former attach healthy grain whereas the latter attacks damaged or vulnerable grain. Examples are weevils and larger grain borer. An important consideration in the fight again storage pests in maize farming is the temperature. Maintaining dryness also discourages the breeding of pests. No wonder before storing maize you must ensure it is adequately dried up. The presence of moisture and dirt promote pest development – that is why hygiene is important.

The most common diseases in maize farming are fungal and viral diseases. Notable fungal diseases are gray leaf spot, leaf blight, root rot common rust, head smut, and downy mildew. Fungal diseases are often aggressive. Once they set in, any delay in taking action leads to colossal losses. That is why it is important to avoid them in the first place.

One way to avoid them is deliberately cultivating hybrid maize varieties. Another way is to ensure there is no waterlogging and dirt lying around. If the fungal diseases do emerge, immediately use fungicides to get rid of them. The same applies for viral diseases; they are best prevented. Effective pest control helps prevent viral diseases since pests are usually the culprits in transmission.

Farm Workers

This depends on your scale of maize production and also your level of mechanisation. Significant mechanisation tends to reduce the number of workers you will need. However, it is not usually that hard to find cost-effective human resources on a contractual basis. So you will need to hire part time farm workers as and when necessary. The duties of the maize farm workers include cultivating the land, ploughing, planting, irrigation, applying manure & fertilizer on the land, weed & pest control, harvesting. The maize farming business plan should cater for the costs of paying all your employees.

Capital for Maize Farming Business

This depends on the scale of maize production and level of mechanisation amongst other factors. You can get a loan from the bank, or funding from investors, to use as capital to start your maize farming business. If you plan to raise capital from investors and a loan from the bank, you need a good maize farming business plan. If you don’t have access to investors and bank loan, you can use your personal savings and start small, and grow your business overtime. Maize farming is profitable, so if you reinvest the profits you get, you can quickly grow. Even if you are not planning to get a loan, you should still get a maize farming business plan to guide you in starting and operating the business. It is essential for you to have a maize/corn farming business plan before you venture into the maize farming business, so that you know all the costs involved and you make an informed decision.

Harvesting And Storage Of Maize

Harvesting maize.

You can carry out maize harvesting using manual techniques or mechanical techniques. Manual techniques often entail the use of hands. Mechanical techniques often entail the use of combine harvesters. When the maize is around 20 percent moisture level it is ready to be harvested. That moisture level must drop to around 12 percent before the maize can be stored. That is why the maize grain will have to undergo some drying process prior to storage. Drying can be done naturally using the sun or artificially e.g. using heated air.

Storage Of Maize

You can store your maize in a bulky state or you can pack the grain into sacks or bags. It is important to ensure optimum grain moisture levels are reached first. You must also properly sort the grain to eliminate damaged or diseased grain. For long term storage, the grain will need to be chemically treated to protect from pests and diseases.

The market is huge and actually needs more players to start maize farming businesses. The demand for maize is very high, individuals consume maize and products processed from maize. Maize meal and Maize flour is used in meals all over the world. Maize is not just for human consumption but also for animal consumption. Maize is used in stock feed production for livestock production. The starch from the maize is used for a long list of things such as cosmetic products, adhesives, paints, inks, and medical drugs amongst many others. In some countries there are grain marketing entities. These entities buy maize directly from farmers. These provide the easiest way to get your maize purchased with little to no marketing effort. You can also take advantage of farmers’ markets to market your maize. The internet and social media platforms are also effective in generating leads. You can also approach potential bulk clients such as millers, manufacturers, and distributors. Some continents such as Africa actually import large quantities of maize annually.  However there are vast patches of arable land on the continent.  There are so many talking points on this but the relevant one for this subject is about potential. This means the market is not being adequately served by the local maize farmers. Market-wise it is a foregone conclusion that the market is vast and limitless. The maize business plan ought to include a proper marketing plan to use in your maize farming business.

Keys To Profitability

Choosing the right soil or improving it is pertinent (especially fertility). Comprehensive land preparation is also important in optimizing the soil. Choose the right maize variety, especially hybrid ones that have high yields and disease resistance. See to it that you actively monitor and deal with pests and diseases. Your storage regime of the maize grain must be done properly. Most losses in maize farming are post-harvest so be vigilant. Your choice of planting time must be carefully considered. It must be cognizant of weather implications and market demand dynamics. Adequate water availability is imperative but whilst ensuring there is sufficient drainage.

Pre-Written Maize Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel): Comprehensive Version, Short Funding/Bank Loan Version and Automated Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the maize farming business, we encourage you to purchase our well-researched and comprehensive maize farming business plan. We introduced the business plans after discovering that many were venturing into the maize production business without enough knowledge and understanding of how to run the maize/corn farming business, how to farm the maize, lack of understanding of the financial side of the business, lack of understanding of : the industry, the risks involved , costs and profitability of the business; which often leads to disastrous losses.

The StartupBiz Global maize/corn farming business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run your maize farming business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as you will be aware of all the costs involved in setting up and running the maize business.

Uses of the Maize Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The maize business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your maize farming business
• As a maize farming business proposal
• Assessing profitability of the maize farming business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Maize Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The maize farming business plan include, but not limited to:

• Marketing Strategy
• Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortization)
• Risk Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Market Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (Including technical aspects of how to farm the maize, inputs requirements etc)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some people in the maize farming business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your maize farming business

The Pre-written maize farming business plan package consist of 4 files

• Maize Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive Version – 90 Pages)
• Maize Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive Version – 90 Pages)
• Maize Farming Business Plan Funding/Bank Loan Version- Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan/funding – 41 pages)
• Maize Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel File)

The business plan can be used in any country and can be easily edited. The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of hectares, selling price of  the maize etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Click below to download the Contents Page of the Maize Farming Business Plan (PDF)

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StartupBiz Global provided a very professional and comprehensive business plan which I used for my business. The business plan was easy to edit, and I was able to get the funding which I wanted. I highly recommend their business plans.

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Get the Maize Farming Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

Click Buy Now  below to purchase using Paypal, Credit Card, or Debit Card. After you have purchased, you will immediately see the download link for the business plan package on the screen. You will also immediately get an email with the business plan download link. The Pre-written business plan package (PDF, Word, and Excel) costs $30 only!

If you want to purchase multiple business plans at once then click here: Business Plans Store.

The business plan package is a zipped compressed file containing the PDF, Word and Excel documents. To open the package after downloading it, just right click, and select Extract All. If you have any problems in downloading and opening the files, email us on [email protected] and we will assist you.

We wish you the best in your maize farming business! Check out our collection of business plans  , and more business ideas .

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Sample Maize Farming Business Plan

Are you seeking to start a maize business? One basic tool you’ll need is the maize farming business plan.

Agriculture is a multi-billion-dollar industry with enormous potentials. So, establishing a business such as a maize farm offers loads of opportunities.

COMMERCIAL MAIZE FARM BUSINESS PLAN SAMPLE

Why is a crop production business plan so important? Can one do without it? These are crucial questions that need to be answered rightly. Now, your maize farming business plan is a document that contains every detail of how your business will be set in motion.

In other words, it defines your objectives and how such objectives or plans will be achieved. Central pillars of a maize farming business plan include the marketing, operational and financial components.

Apart from setting your plans in motion, the maize production business plan also helps you attract outside investors.

Outline of a Good Maize Farming Business Plan

As with any plan, some sections or components focus on key areas of operation. These include the executive summary, business description & structure, management & personnel, market research & strategies as well as the financial documents.

Each of these sections helps focus on, and exhaust or clearly state the plan of action and how it will be rolled out.

For a better understanding of these components, let’s get into the details as follows;

Executive Summary

Maize farming executive summary section of a business plan is crucial for success. This part or section is written after completing the other sections. However, this short document comes first in the business plan.

The maize farming business plan needs to have this section placed at the beginning to easily provide or summarize the contents of the plan. Here, you want to build interest in the reader to go through the entire document.

This gives an idea of what your maize farming business is about as well as how you plan on executing each task.

What more? You want your executive summary section to inform investors about the potential behind your maize farming business. With this section, investors don’t need to go through the entire plan to know what it’s about.

There are basic elements to have or include in your maize farming executive summary. They include the problem and your solution or value proposition, as well as the market size and growth opportunity.

Other elements include your competitive advantage, business model, executive team, and financial projections as well as funding. These elements will need to be covered in detail to offer the reader an idea of what it entails.

As the name implies, the executive summary should be kept short and precise (about 1 to 2 pages in length).

Business Description & Structure

This part of your plan should provide ample information on what your maize farming business is about.

In other words, you’ll need to explain why you’re in business as well as your products (which is obviously maize). Others include the production process and how inventory and fulfillment among others will be processed.

The agricultural industry is under focus here. As such, there’s a need to proceed by describing maize cultivation focusing on its current outlook and future possibilities. All sources of data must be reliable.

When writing the business description and structure component, you want to avoid making any assumptions as money is involved. Investors won’t rely on assumptions to invest their money.

Your preferred structure will come under focus when describing the produces and services on offer.

Here, the type of operation involved (that is, agricultural production) will need to be clearly stated.

Management & Personnel

All successful maize farming businesses rely on the input of reliable and qualified management and personnel. A lot of hiring is involved here and will take up a significant part of your revenue.

Three points are considered when seeking to hire; who gets hired, the salary or wage structure as well as timing.

There are other sub-sections within this maize farming business plan that cover key aspects. These include an organizational chart, job descriptions, wage or salary amount, type of hire, and when the right time to hire is.

Organizational Chart

This tool is important for clearly explaining or planning the roles played or to be played by personnel.

In other words, it enables the reader to clearly identify who works for who. Such a staffing chart guides your activity and avoids any conflicting responsibilities.

Job Descriptions

Your maize farming business will need an active workforce. These hires, whether prospective or existing hires will need to be clearly defined. This section provides the reader with clarity to fully understand who does what.

i. Wage or Salary Amount

Every detail relating to the salary amount must be clearly stated here. It is also written with the understanding that over time, there’ll be percentage increases in pay for workers.

This also includes health insurance among other company benefits.

ii. Type of Hire

Your maize farming business should clearly define the type of hire to help sort or resolve any labor compliance issues that may come up. So, some of your staff may be engaged as independent contractors while others may be salaried.

It all depends on what works best for you.

iii. When the Right Time to Hire Is

Timing is of the essence when laying out your hiring plan. Such employees are only hired when their services are necessary. For temporary staff, there should be a clear date for their disengagement.

Market Research & Strategies

A marketing analysis is needed for your maize farming business operations. This covers your milestones, market analysis, and sales forecasts.

Also, you need to know how you measure against the competition, public relations, and deadlines. These are important aspects of marketing research that need to be included.

Financial Documents

Numbers are everything when it comes to business.

Having stated all your claims, the numbers are used to compare for purposes of viability. This section should contain full descriptions of your profit and loss statements, cash flow statements, and balance sheets.

With the information made available here, you shouldn’t have difficulties putting together an excellent maize farming business plan . We’ve included the key sections that require your attention.

These will win your endorsement of investors and also guide your business to success.

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Global maize production, consumption and trade: trends and R&D implications

• Open access
• Published: 17 May 2022
• Volume 14 , pages 1295–1319, ( 2022 )

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• Olaf Erenstein   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7491-5786 1 ,
• Moti Jaleta   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3151-4018 2 ,
• Kai Sonder   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-9672-5361 1 ,
• Khondoker Mottaleb   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2666-1152 1 &
• B.M. Prasanna   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5761-2273 3  

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Since its domestication some 9,000 years ago, maize ( Zea mays L.; corn) has played an increasing and diverse role in global agri-food systems. Global maize production has surged in the past few decades, propelled by rising demand and a combination of technological advances, yield increases and area expansion. Maize is already the leading cereal in terms of production volume and is set to become the most widely grown and traded crop in the coming decade. It is a versatile multi-purpose crop, primarily used as a feed globally, but also is important as a food crop, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, besides other non-food uses. This paper reviews maize production, consumption, and international trade to examine the changing trends in global supply and demand conditions over the past quarter century and the implications for research and development (R&D), particularly in the Global South. The inclusiveness and sustainability of the ongoing transformation of agri-food systems in the Global South merit particular attention. There is a need for further investments in R&D, particularly to enhance maize’s food and livelihood security roles and to sustainably intensify maize production while staying within the planetary boundaries.

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1 Introduction

Wheat, maize and rice are the world’s leading staple cereals, each cultivated on some 200 million (M) ha (rounded). Maize ( Zea mays L., also commonly known as corn ) was domesticated more than 9,000 years ago in southern Mexico/Meso America (Awika, 2011 ; Kennett et al., 2020 ), following the earlier domestication some 10,000 years ago of wheat in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and rice in the Yangtze Valley, China (Awika, 2011 ). Despite maize’s somewhat later domestication and relative isolation till the European settlement in the Americas, maize has quickly disseminated across the globe since then and has become the leading global staple cereal in terms of annual production exceeding 1 billion metric tons (García-Lara & Serna-Saldivar, 2019 ). Together, the three big global staple cereals – wheat, rice, maize – comprise a major component of the human diet, accounting for an estimated 42 percent of the world’s food calories and 37 percent of protein intake (average 2016–18, FAOStat, 2021 ).

The global maize area (for dry grain) amounts to 197 M ha, including substantive areas in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Asia and Latin America (FAOStat, 2021 ). It is an established and important human food crop in a number of countries, especially in SSA, Latin America, and a few countries in Asia, where maize consumed as human food contributes over 20% of food calories (Shiferaw et al., 2011 ). Compared to wheat and rice, maize is a more versatile multi-purpose crop. In the developed economies it is primarily used as a livestock feed crop with a varied role as an industrial and energy crop. With economic development (including income growth and urbanization), the consumption of animal source foods is accelerating and propelling the demand of maize as feed, Asia being a prime example (Erenstein, 2010 ). Maize thereby plays a diverse and dynamic role in global agri-food systems and food/nutrition security (Grote et al., 2021 ; Poole et al., 2021 ; Ranum et al., 2014 ; Shiferaw et al., 2011 ). There has been an increased interest in agri-food systems over the last decade (Brouwer et al., 2020 ; Fanzo et al., 2021 ; HLPE, 2017 ; IFAD, 2021 ; Townsend, 2015 ). In part this reflects concerns over the recent global food crisis and how to adequately provide for the growing global population while staying within planetary boundaries (Willett et al., 2019 ) and in the context of climate change (Jones & Yosef, 2015 ). It also reflects an increased interest in the outcomes of agri-food systems, be it in terms of food & nutrition, environmental sustainability & resilience, and livelihoods & inclusiveness, and the potential to improve on these through agri-food systems transformation. Agri-food systems thereby play a pivotal role towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, Fanzo et al., 2021 ; HLPE, 2017 ).

In this paper we focus on the role of maize in the evolving agri-food system landscape. We review maize production, consumption, and international trade to examine the changing trends in global supply and demand conditions over the past quarter century. Footnote 1 We then reflect on the implications for maize research and development (R&D) within the context of agri-food system transformation, with an emphasis on the Global South. The paper thereby updates earlier work (Ranum et al., 2014 ; Shiferaw et al., 2011 ) to reflect ongoing transformations. It complements more recent work that included maize but had a narrower focus on regional value chains (Grote et al., 2021 ) or agri-nutrition (Poole et al., 2021 ). In the subsequent sections we assess the state of maize production, consumption/use, and international trade at the global and regional levels and develop the R&D implications.

2 Trends in global maize production

Maize for dry grain Footnote 2 is annually cultivated on an estimated 197 M ha of land globally, making it the second most widely grown crop in the world after wheat. In comparison, wheat was annually cultivated on 216 M ha and rice on 165 M ha (2017–19 – TE2019, Table 1 ). In terms of (dry grain) annual production, maize’s 1,137 million tons (M t) globally (TE2019) is markedly higher (+ 50%) than both rice and wheat (757 M t each; Table 1 ). The divergence reflects the substantially higher maize grain yields (5.8 tons/ha), mostly linked to widespread hybrid cultivation and complementing input use. Over the last quarter century, maize production more than doubled (+ 118% over TE1995) supported by both substantive yield increases (+ 50%) and area expansion (+ 46%). Of the three cereals, maize had a yield increase of nearly 2 tons over the 25-year period (up from 3.9 tons/ha, i.e., an increase of 76 kg/ha/yr or a simple average of 2.0% per annum [pa]), compared to increases of 1 ton for rice and wheat (increases of 39 and 40 kg/ha/yr, or simple averages of 1.1 and 1.6% pa respectively). Increases in rice production also relied on a combination of yield and area increases, whereas wheat solely relied on substantive yield increase with a largely stagnant area (Table 1 ). At the same time there was a marked area decline of other cereals (-22%), in part offset by yield increase (23%) and resulting in a slight decline of production (-4%, Table 1 ).

The maize production dynamics over the last quarter century build on earlier trends. Since 1961, the global maize area under maize production nearly doubled, up from 106 M ha (TE1963) to the current 197 M ha (+ 87%), with an acceleration of area expansion since the early 2000s (Fig.  1 ). On current trends, and with wheat area relatively stagnant, maize is set to overtake wheat as the most widely grown crop by 2030 (Erenstein et al., 2021 ). The global maize yields nearly tripled since 1961, up from 2 tons/ha (TE1963) to the current 5.8 tons/ha (TE2019, + 190%, Fig.  1 ). Given these substantive increases, maize production rose five-fold since 1961 (+ 441%, Fig.  1 ).

Dynamics of key maize indicators 1961–2019: maize area (M ha), production (M t), yield (tons/ha) and export share (export/total production, %). Source: FAOStat ( 2021 )

Maize cultivation spans both emerging economies and the developed world (Fig.  2 ), Footnote 3 including 165 countries distributed across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa (FAOStat, 2021 ). The global maize area is primarily located in the Americas and Asia, with over a third each, followed by Africa with a fifth and Europe with a tenth (TE2019, Fig.  3 ). Maize also shows marked yield differences between regions. The Americas thus contribute half of the global maize production (TE2019), followed by a third in Asia (32%) and the remainder primarily by Europe (11%) and Africa (7.4%–Fig.  4 ). There is a substantive heterogeneity within each of the continent’s regions. The maize area in the Americas is split between Northern America (mainly USA) and Central and South America. Some two-thirds of Asia’s maize area is in East Asia (mainly China with mostly temperate maize, compared to mostly tropical maize in South and South-East Asia). The marked divergences in yield translate into varying subregional shares in production (Table 2 ).

Geography of maize production (estimated M kcal energy produced by maize per pixel, ca 10 × 10 km 2 ). Source: Authors, using SPAM 2010 and other sources – see text for details

Area share of maize by region, TE2019. Source: FAOStat ( 2021 )

Production share of maize by region, TE2019. Source: FAOStat ( 2021 )

A third of the global maize area is in the Low and Lower-Middle Income Countries (L/LM-ICs), albeit only contributing 15% to the global maize production (TE2019–Table 2 ). This reflects their markedly lower yields (2.7 tons/ha TE2019), which is just half of the global average. The area and yield growth rates are both higher in the L/LM-ICs compared to the Upper-Middle and High Income Countries (UM/H-ICs), resulting in a markedly higher production growth rate in L/LM-ICs (4.6% vs 3.2% pa–Table 2 ).

The USA (361 M t pa) and China (259 M t pa) dominate the maize production – together producing over half of the global maize production (54.5%, TE2019). Globally eight countries – USA, China, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, Indonesia, India, and Mexico – produce over 25 M t pa each, and together account for 881 M t or three-quarters of the global maize production (77.4% TE2019). The acceleration of global maize area expansion starting in 2003 (Fig.  1 ) is associated with maize area increases in particularly Ukraine, Argentina, China and Indonesia. USA and China have long dominated maize production. In the early 1960s they together accounted for a similar share (54% TE1963), although China’s relative contribution has seen a huge surge (with a 14-fold increase of production, whereas USA increased nearly fourfold). In the USA biofuel (ethanol) grew most significantly in the early 2000’s through to 2010, but total maize area only increased slightly, with the production increase mainly driven by yield (Wallington et al., 2012 ). There have also been some shifts in the top 8 maize producers (the early 1960s set included besides USA and China, USSR, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Romania and Yugoslavia, each producing more than 5 M t pa at the time, and accounting for three-quarters of global maize production–76.4% TE1963).

Maize, a C4 plant, has excellent photosynthetic efficiency and capacity to perform well in a wide array of environments, including the tropics, subtropics and temperate zones. Maize requires an estimated 1222 L of water per kg of product, which compares favourably to other staple cereals (Mekonnen & Gerbens-Leenes, 2020 ). Given its nutritional energy, maize has the most favourable water footprint per kcal of nutritional energy (0.41 L of water/kcal) compared to other crops, although it still accounts for 6% of the global unsustainable blue water footprint (Mekonnen & Gerbens-Leenes, 2020 ).

The diverse agro-ecological environments where maize is cultivated (e.g. from wet to dry; from low to mid-altitude to highland) have led to the distinction of various rainfed maize mega-environments defined on the basis of growing season maximum temperature and rainfall (Fig.  5 ; Bellon et al., 2005 ). The concept originated from the need to develop and target improved germplasm to relatively homogenous production environments defined on an agro-climatic basis and thereby manage genotype-by-environment interactions and facilitate extrapolation. The mega-environments have implications for the types of maize grown (e.g. temperate or tropical; short or long season) and the relevance of associated traits (e.g. drought and heat tolerance; maturity; biotic stress resistance – Prasanna et al., 2021 ). The mega-environments can help characterize rainfed maize within continents and countries, for instance, in Kenya, maize is cultivated in the tropical lowlands (0–1000 m above sea level or masl), mid-altitude areas (1000–1800 masl), as well as long-season highland areas (> 1800 masl). However, the prime focus on temperature and rainfall only provides for one higher level agro-ecological characterization. For one, the focus is on rainfed maize, and irrigation provides new opportunities to alleviate water stress and achieve substantial yields (e.g. irrigated maize in Egypt; winter season maize in South Asia). The mega-environment also does not address other heterogeneity, be it agro-ecologic (e.g. soil types, slope, topography) or socio-economic (e.g. farmer characteristics, market access–Bellon et al., 2005 ).

Global map of rainfed (sub-)tropical maize mega-environments. Source: adapted from Bellon et al. ( 2005 ) with updated climate data

Climate change is set to gradually shift rainfed maize mega-environments, including increased cultivation prospects in the northern and southern latitudes and higher altitudes, but with increased frequency of abiotic (e.g., heat, drought, waterlogging) and biotic stresses (e.g., diseases and insect-pests) in the (sub-)tropical environments (Cairns et al., 2013 ; Jones & Thornton, 2003 ; Prasanna et al., 2021 ; Tesfaye et al., 2015 ). Studies also highlight the possibility of climate-induced variabilities and extremes affecting maize production especially in the tropics (Jones & Thornton, 2003 ). Over time new virulent pests and diseases have emerged in previously unaffected geographies with far reaching consequences for maize. In Africa, in the past decade, maize lethal necrosis (MLN), a devastating transboundary disease has emerged (Boddupalli et al., 2020 ; Marenya et al., 2018 ). Since 2016, maize crops in over 40 countries in Africa have been adversely impacted by the invasion of fall armyworm ( Spodoptera frugiperda, Prasanna et al . , 2018 ; De Groote et al., 2020 ; Kassie et al., 2020 ). The fall armyworm has subsequently spread into Asia since 2018 (Li et al., 2020 ). Climate change is set to further exacerbate the occurrence and impacts of biotic stresses, such as diseases and insect-pests, driving the emergence of new threats (Burdon & Zhan, 2020 ; Deutsch et al., 2018 ).

A third of the global farms are estimated to have cultivated maize in 2020 (i.e. 216 million maize farms, Erenstein et al., 2021 ). Small farms (< 2 ha) predominate (84%) among global farms (Lowder et al., 2021 ). In the case of maize these comprise resource-constrained smallholders in Asia, Africa and South America, with many often dependent on maize for their food security and livelihoods. These smallholders span diverse agro-ecologies, from drought-prone rainfed areas in large swathes of SSA to Africa’s temperate highlands to the irrigated off-season maize in South Asia’s Indo-Gangetic plains. The associated production systems vary in input use (improved seed, fertilizers and other agro-chemicals), mechanization and market integration, providing a broad range of extensive to intensive smallholder maize production systems with variable yields and profitability. There is also a contrast between traditional and non-traditional maize growing (and consuming) areas with implications for the role of maize for food security and rural livelihoods and implications for innovation and system dynamics (e.g. crop-livestock interactions and use of maize stover as animal feed; Valbuena et al., 2015 ). On the other end of the farm size spectrum are large commercial mechanized maize producers, for example, in the USA and Brazil. These systems combine highly productive new maize genetics with intensive crop management.

Improved maize germplasm plays a particular prominent role in the advent of maize across the global agri-food system. Maize is cross-pollinated and opened the prospects of hybrid vigor (heterosis), whereby the progeny of crosses between diverse inbred parents is superior to the parents. Hybrid maize seed requires new seed for every crop to maintain its potential and proved a particularly viable and attractive business model for the seed industry (Morris, 1998 ). The twentieth century saw the development and commercialization of the hybrid maize technology, originally in the USA and then spreading across the world to Latin America, Asia, Europe, and Africa (Byerlee, 2020 ). Public institutions played an important role in enabling and promoting the spread of hybrid technology, including in the USA (Byerlee, 2020 ). Much of the (international) public sector long focused on the development of improved open pollinated varieties (OPVs) that were attractive to smallholder farmers for better performance, consumer acceptance, and their seed-recycling potential (Morris et al., 2003 ). Since the 1980s, the (international) public sector have increased investments in hybrid maize breeding focusing on the Global South and areas not catered for by the multinational seed industry. The initial (international) public sector focus was on higher grain yield and regionally important pests and diseases and subsequently adding abiotic stress tolerance (e.g. drought tolerance, Krishna et al., 2021 ). Improved maize germplasm now prevails across the globe, although adoption of hybrid maize still is heterogeneous in the Global South – and e.g. more widespread in eastern and southern Africa with its more developed seed sectors compared to the prevalence of OPVs in West-Central Africa (Krishna et al., 2021 ; Langyintuo et al., 2010 ). Improved maize germplasm from (international) public sources (OPVs and hybrids combined) make up nearly half of the maize area across SSA, providing a substantive return to modest public investments (Krishna et al., 2021 ).

Globally, more than two-thirds of maize area is planted to conventional improved maize (i.e., not Genetically Modified, non-GM). Since the mid-1990s, there is increased use of maize seed with biotechnological traits (e.g. insect resistance and herbicide tolerance) and associated agronomic practices to both increase maize yield potential and reduce yield loss to pest and environmental stress (Areal et al., 2013 ; Cabrera-Ponce et al., 2019 ). Maize is now the second most widely grown GM crop globally (32% of GM area, after soybean with 48% and ahead of cotton and canola), with some 61 M ha (31% of maize area–ISAAA, 2019 ). Insect resistant maize (based on Bacillus thuringiensis , Bt ) has generated the largest benefits for maize to date (primarily in the USA, followed by Brazil, South Africa, Canada and Argentina), globally on par with the estimated insect resistance benefits for cotton (Brookes & Barfoot, 2020 ). Herbicide tolerant maize (based on glyphosate tolerance) has generated the second highest benefits for maize to date (again primarily in the USA, followed by Argentina and Brazil), primarily linked to cost savings but also associated with yield gains in the Global South (Brookes & Barfoot, 2020 ). There is also some limited use of GM drought tolerant maize, primarily in the USA (Brookes & Barfoot, 2020 ). The use of GM maize is also gaining prominence in SE Asia. Philippines was the first Asian country to approve GM maize cultivation, with Bt yellow maize first commercialized in 2003 and subsequently stacked with herbicide tolerance (Afidchao et al., 2014 ). GM yellow maize is now used by a third of maize farmers in the Philippines (Alvarez et al., 2021 ). Stacked GM maize became available to Vietnamese farmers in 2015 and now is reportedly used on 10% of maize area (Brookes & Dinh, 2021 ). In SSA, GM maize is presently cultivated only in South Africa, both yellow (for feed) and white (for food) purposes, with GM yield gains particularly associated with white maize (Shew et al., 2021 ). A recent review of GM maize showed improved grain quality and yields, reduced human exposure to mycotoxins and the lack of consistent effects on non-target organisms (Pellegrino et al., 2018 ).

We started this section noting that since 1960s maize production increases relied both on intensification and extensification. At the global level the two contributed equally over the last quarter century, but extensification prevailed in much of SSA (Jayne & Sanchez, 2021 ; Smale et al., 2013 ). Ethiopia is one of only few African countries that have showed substantive maize yield increases: reaching 4 t/ha (TE2019, FAOStat, 2021 ), essentially by combining improved genetics, improved agronomy, and public sector/extension support (Abate et al., 2015 ). In SSA as a whole rainfed maize yields still oscillate around 2 t/ha (Table 2 ), which represents only 15–27% of the crop’s water-limited yield potential (van Ittersum et al., 2016 ). Rainfed maize combines the greatest yield potential with the largest yield gaps among Africa’s cereal crops, with substantive yield gaps across much of Ethiopia, Nigeria and Zambia (Assefa et al., 2020 ; van Ittersum et al., 2016 ). The maize area expansion included both an expansion of the agricultural frontier (e.g. Zambia–Ngoma et al., 2021 ) and displacement of other crops aided by maize’s high yield and market potential. Maize’s profitability can thereby fuel area expansion in non-traditional maize growing areas, even in land scarce settings (e.g. Bangladesh–Mottaleb et al., 2018 ).

In sum, global maize production has surged in the past decades, enabled by a combination of maize yield increases and area expansion. It is already the leading cereal in terms of production volume and is set to become the most widely grown crop in terms of area in the coming decade. Behind these aggregate trends there is substantive heterogeneity. The USA and China dominate maize production, with varying contributions from other geographies. A third of the global farms are estimated to cultivate maize, ranging from resource-constrained smallholders to large commercial mechanized maize producers. Technology use, yields and production orientation thereby vary substantially in space and time, with a global prevalence of conventional (non-GMO) improved maize and an increased reliance on hybrid maize.

3 Trends in global maize consumption

Maize is a versatile multipurpose crop. At the global level, maize (dry grain) is primarily used as feed (56% of production), a fifth for non-food uses, and 13% for food (Table 3 ). At face value these use categories underestimate the contribution of maize to human food/nutrition. The reported food use only encompasses the direct pathway of consuming dry maize grain in food products (processed or unprocessed). Footnote 4 Much of the maize grain used as feed is used to derive animal-sourced foods and thereby provides an indirect consumption pathway. Footnote 5 For instance, 3 kg of human-edible feed (primarily maize grain and soy) potentially produces 1 kg of boneless meat (on average requiring 2.8 kg in ruminant systems and 3.2 kg in monogastric systems -Mottet et al., 2017 ). In addition, by-products of maize grain processing for non-food uses, maize stover as by-product of grain production and forage/silage maize provide important feed sources to derive animal-sourced foods. At the global level, these indirect consumption pathways outweigh direct food consumption pathways for maize, in addition to providing higher value and more protein rich/nutritious food products than the original grain.

Maize grain is the third most consumed cereal as human food after rice and wheat (direct pathway, processed or unprocessed). Global human food consumption of maize amounts to 18.5 kg/capita/year (Table 4 ), 11% of the average annual cereal human consumption of 175 kg globally (2014–18, excluding beverages – FAOStat, 2021 ). Use of maize as food is markedly more common in L/LM-ICs (43% of production) and in Africa (54%), and particularly in eastern and southern Africa (66%). Maize is consumed in 161 countries, with consumption levels exceeding 50 kg/capita/year in 22 countries, primarily in eastern and southern Africa (9 countries) and Latin America (7, FAOStat, 2021 ). Figure  6 Footnote 6 shows the heterogeneity in maize food consumption globally. Per capita maize food consumption is particularly high in southern Africa (Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa being among the top 5 consumers, with averages exceeding 100 kg/capita/year) besides Mexico, with its strong maize-based dietary traditions. Over the past decades per capita maize food consumption has shown a steady increase globally (from 11 kg TE1963 to 18.8 kg TE2018, Fig.  7 ). In absolute numbers, SSA (particularly driven by Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Togo, Lesotho, Mali) and the Americas (particularly driven by Paraguay, Cuba, Uruguay, Peru, Chile) reported increases of some 10 kg per capita annual maize food consumption since the 1960s (Fig.  7 ). In Asia, where rice is the major staple crop, the corresponding increase was still some 4 kg (Fig.  7 ). As a group, L/LM-ICs have above average per capita human consumption of maize (20.5 kg). Africa stands out as the only region where per capita food consumption exceeds per capita feed, albeit per capita feed is catching up (Fig.  7 ). The Americas and Africa have above global average per capita food consumption, but in Americas per capita food consumption is dwarfed by per capita feed consumption (Fig.  7 ).

Contribution of maize to the food calories in different geographies (estimated M kcal food energy consumed from maize per pixel, ca 10 × 10 km 2 ). Source: Authors, using data from various sources – see text for details. Only includes maize grain used for human consumption (direct food consumption pathway, processed or unprocessed)

Per capita yearly maize food-feed consumption (kg/capita/yr) by major regions, TE1963-2018. Source: FAOStat ( 2021 ). Note: Based on Food Balance Sheet (FBS), with a new FBS method since 2014. Food relates to maize grain used for human consumption, feed to maize grain used for livestock feed, both expressed per human capita in the region

Aggregate maize use has grown markedly faster than per capita maize food consumption (Table 4 ), in part reflecting higher population growth in Africa and Asia. The global population is set to increase by 2 billion from 7.7 billion currently to a projected 9.7 billion by 2050 (8.9–10.7 billion depending on assumed fertility rates; UN-DESA, 2019 ). Assuming a constant annual per capita maize food consumption, this implies a potential annual increase of 37 M t of maize as food by 2050 (22–56 M t depending on fertility assumption). In addition, the rapid growth in aggregate maize use also reflects its use as a feed crop and its role as industrial and energy crop in some countries (e.g., USA; Kumar & Singh, 2019 ).

Maize’s multiple uses in addition to food imply UM/H-ICs as a group use 85% of global maize (Table 4 ). The Americas stand out as the main aggregate user, with 45% of global maize use, followed by 37% in Asia, 10% in Europe and 9% in Africa (Table 4 ). The feed use of maize is well-established in the UM/H-ICs. However, its association with economic development (i.e., income growth and urbanization) also implies it is highly dynamic in the Global South and propelled by the accelerating consumption of animal source foods, Asia being a prominent example (Erenstein, 2010 ; Hellin et al., 2015 ; Mottaleb et al., 2018 ). China and India are the two most populous countries, together accounting for more than 36% (2.8 billion) of the global population (UN-DESA, 2019 ). Questions thereby abound about how best to feed China, given its sheer size and that it exemplifies the dietary transition with marked increases in meat consumption (including poultry and pork, and the associated demand for maize as animal feed; Erenstein, 2010 ). India is also experiencing economic transformation, with increased poultry demand, fuelling expanded maize production (Hellin et al., 2015 ). Both China and India provide agricultural transformation lessons for other developing nations as well as to each other (Gulati & Fan, 2007 ).

Underlying maize’s multiple uses are its various types, including diverse colours (e.g. yellow, white, blue) and other attributes (e.g. dent/flint, sweet corn, baby corn, popcorn, waxy maize, high-amylose maize, high-oil maize, quality protein maize; Serna-Saldivar & Perez Carrillo, 2019 ). The diverse types of maize reflect the variations in endosperm (hardness, colour), pericarp, type of starch, kernel type, etc. (García-Lara et al., 2019 ). Colour is an important characteristic – with white maize primarily used for food purposes and yellow maize for feed (FAO and CIMMYT, 1997 ; Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ). Other colours such as blue maize tend to be associated with niche food uses (Blare et al., 2020 ; Keleman & Hellin, 2009 ), besides industrial uses in some countries like Thailand. In terms of human food, maize use varies from a seasonal vegetable such as green maize (kernels on the cob; Hellin et al., 2011 ; with 1.1 M ha harvested annually, TE2019–FAOStat, 2021 ) to an array of manufactured foods (snacks, ingredients) to being the main staple food. ‘Maize products and processing methods are as diverse as the maize crop itself’ (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 :68). In the Global South maize used for direct human consumption may still rely on traditionally milled maizemeal (consumed as gruels/porridges) or nixtamalized fresh masa (consumed as tortillas and other forms in the Americas; Ekpa et al., 2019 ; Serna-Saldivar & Perez Carrillo, 2019 ). Industrial dry-millers produce whole or refined maize flour and an array of maize fractions which are further transformed into breakfast cereals, gruels/porridges, snacks and bakery items (Serna-Saldivar & Perez Carrillo, 2019 ), as well as nixtamalized and precooked maize flours (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ).

Food consumption of maize grain contributes 5% of the total human dietary calories and proteins globally (direct food pathway, processed or unprocessed–Table 5 ). On average, the daily dietary energy intake per capita was 156 kcal from maize as food compared to a total intake of 2,919 kcal (of which 1,311 kcal come from cereals). The average energy from maize as food was however more than double its global average in Africa and Latin America (> 400 kcal), with nearly a quarter of the total energy intake in eastern and southern Africa. As a group, the maize food calorie share is also higher in the L/LM-ICs (Table 5 ). On average, the daily protein intake per capita from maize as food was 3.8 g of the daily protein intake (82.5 g, and 12% of the proteins provided by cereals, 32.4 g). Maize as food also provides a modest source of daily fat (1.4 g representing 1.6% of daily intake; Table 5 ). These dietary contributions of maize as food are significantly augmented by the indirect consumption pathway of maize as feed to derive animal-sourced foods for human consumption.

The diverse maize-based food products vary in their nutritional value, dependent on the processing methods (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ). The genetic diversity in maize has opened avenues for biofortification (Nuss & Tanumihardjo, 2010 ; Tanumihardjo et al., 2020 ). Maize is the first amongst the cereal crops to develop and release biofortified varieties. Several Quality Protein Maize (QPM) varieties, with enhanced content of essential amino acids, particularly lysine and tryptophan, have been deployed in SSA, Latin America and Asia (Atlin et al., 2011 ; Nuss & Tanumihardjo, 2011 ; Prasanna et al., 2001 ). In addition, provitamin A-enriched (orange) and high-Zinc maize varieties suitable for cultivation in SSA, Asia and Latin America have been developed, and are being deployed (Prasanna et al., 2020 ).

Maize produced or stored under adverse conditions can be contaminated with toxic mycotoxins from fungi (e.g. aflatoxins) with adverse health impacts for humans (and animals) consuming contaminated maize-based food (and feeds - Loy & Lundy, 2019 ; Miller, 2008 ; Munkvold et al., 2019 ; Wu et al., 2013 ). Integrated mycotoxin management strategies have been developed, including resistant varieties and biocontrol-based solutions (e.g., Aflasafe - Bandyopadhyay et al., 2016 ; Kaale et al., 2021 ).

Wet milling of maize allows the separation into relatively pure component classes (e.g. starch, protein, oil, and fibre), with such (co-)products often being processed further before use (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ). Some specialty maizes are dedicated to such industrial uses (e.g. high-oil maize, maize for specialty starches; Scott et al., 2019 ). In the mid-1970s maize milling and sweetener-refining capacity started to accelerate with the development of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS; Helstad, 2019 ). The maize-distilling process has long been used by the distilling industry for the production of beverage alcohol (Loy & Lundy, 2019 ). In the 2000s, dry-grind ethanol processing fuelled the bioethanol industry in the USA, now accounting for some 40% of the maize production in the USA (Kumar & Singh, 2019 ; Martinez & Fernandez, 2019 ; Ranum et al., 2014 ).

Maize is the leading cereal in terms of utilization as livestock feed globally. Over half the global maize (dry grain) production is used as feed for monogastric and ruminant livestock. The diverse industrial uses of maize (wet-milling, dry-milling, distilling) also generate by-products that provide important additional feed resources and nutrients for the livestock industries (Loy & Lundy, 2019 ). For instance, bioethanol production from maize grain generates distiller’s dry grains as a co-product, a valuable animal feed with high nutritional value (1 t substituting 1.2 t of maize grain—Wallington et al., 2012 ). Maize varieties are being developed, especially in the high-income countries, with enhanced nutritional value for livestock (Loy & Lundy, 2019 ) with feed uses becoming more differentiated in terms of poultry and livestock (Paulsen et al., 2019 ). In addition, the maize plant is also variously used as feed – including in its green form as green forage and for silage (Heuzé et al., 2017a , 2017b ). Maize cultivated for forage accounts for an additional 16.8 M ha annually (Heuzé et al., 2017b ), with maize silage becoming the prevalent source of maize forage for livestock. In cooler locales maize cultivated for forage can prevail over maize for grain cultivation (e.g. United Kingdom). In much of the Global South maize stover (the by-product of maize grain production after the harvest) is an important source of forage (Tittonell et al., 2015 ; Valbuena et al., 2012 ). This has led to significant interest in the potential of dual-purpose maize for both food and feed (Blümmel et al., 2013 ).

In sum, maize is a versatile multi-purpose crop; although primarily used as feed globally, it continues to be an important food crop in SSA and Latin America, and also has several non-food uses globally. Maize is variously used in food and feed products, with feed use including the use of maize grain, maize by-products and forage/silage. Much of the feed use reflects an indirect human consumption pathway through animal source foods that outweighs direct food consumption pathways for maize at the global level, and is set to increase further with economic development in the Global South.

4 Maize international trade

Maize is widely traded globally, with 15% of global maize production being exported (TE2019), Footnote 7 up from 11% a decade earlier (Awika, 2011 ). On current trends, maize is set to overtake wheat as the most traded cereal. The global trade reflects the spatial disparity between where maize is produced and where it is used, including where it is consumed as food (Kinnunen et al., 2020 ; Fig.  2 , Fig.  6 ). This underpins an active global maize trade linking aggregate surplus production in the Americas and Europe and aggregate deficits in Asia and Africa (Table 6 ). Asia (69 M t), particularly East Asia (34 M t), stands out as the key maize importing region. Africa’s imports are more modest (16 M t), and primarily concentrated in northern Africa. The Americas stand out as the world’s largest exporter (80 M t), but also include substantive importers within the region, Mexico being a case in point. Europe is a net exporter (10 M t) but combines substantive surplus and deficit countries.

Top maize net-exporting countries globally include the USA, Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, and Romania, each exporting 5–54 M t/year (TE2019, Table 6 ). Top net-importers include Japan, Mexico, Korea, Vietnam and Spain; each importing 9–15 M t/year (TE2019, Table 6 ). On aggregate L/LM-ICs are net importers and UM/H-ICs net exporters (Table 6 ). A quarter century ago, the top maize net-exporting countries globally included the USA, France, Argentina, China and South Africa, each exporting 1–45 M t/year (TE1995, FAOStat, 2021 ). Top net importers at the time included Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Spain and Russian Federation; each importing 2–16 M t/year (TE1995). Whereas USA retained export dominance, the rise of Brazil and Ukraine are particularly noteworthy. On the import side, Japan remains the lead importer, but the increased import reliance of Mexico and Vietnam stands out. Noteworthy too is China, changing from a net exporter (TE1995, albeit oscillating between net exports [1993, 94] and net imports [1995]) to a large net importer (each year 2017–19).

The current high levels of spatial decoupling between production and use are set to increase further over the coming decades (Fader et al., 2013 ). The global maize market is divided into geographic clusters – with the USA and European nations making up two separate clusters with limited trade with each other, which is associated with differences in the prevalence of GM and regulatory regimes (including e.g., aflatoxin – Wu & Guclu, 2012 , 2013 ).

Over the last decades real maize prices increased by 31%, from US$127/ton in TE1994 to US$167/ton in TE2020 (Fig.  8 ). The highest annual maize prices over the period were observed in 2012 (US$271/ton) after the earlier high in 2008 (US$217) linked to the global food crisis. The price oscillations over the last decade largely track the pattern of urea fertilizer (Fig.  8 ), albeit real urea prices doubled over the last quarter century (from US$116/ton in TE1995 to US$241 in TE2020). Relative maize:urea prices decreased from 1.1 to 0.7 over the quarter century, falling to their lowest level at the time of the global food crisis (0.5, TE2008). The main global staples saw somewhat similar price trends over the period, with maize having the lowest real prices. The price developments over the last quarter century however follow half a century of declining real prices for maize (and wheat) since 1950 to 2001 (Wright, 2011 ).

Selected cereal and urea prices (real US$/ton, TE1995-2020). Source: WorldBank ( 2021 )

The global food crisis and subsequent fallout highlight the interconnectedness and vulnerability of the global agri-food system. Indeed, the 2012 weather extreme in the maize belt of the USA – the world’s leading maize exporter – contributed to the sharp increase in global maize prices, and escalated food security concerns in the importing nations (Chung et al., 2014 ). Agri-food system concerns have also been growing in the context of climate change with increasing weather shocks (e.g., heat, droughts, excessive water) and biotic shocks (diseases and pests). Such concerns are not limited to any specific crop. Extreme weather conditions can affect global agricultural production across ‘breadbaskets’ and major crops (e.g. maize, rice, wheat, and soybean) at the same time, potentially leading to simultaneous global breadbasket failures and fallouts thereof (Gaupp et al., 2020 ).

Strategic cereal stocks could help buffer shocks and enhance the resilience of the global food system (Drechsler, 2021 ; Gaupp et al., 2020 ). In the runup to the global food crisis, high global income growth and biofuel mandates had run global cereal stocks low, increasing sensitivity of markets to shocks (Wright, 2012 ). Subsequently global maize stocks amounted to 405 M t (TE2018), albeit China alone has more than half (54%) of global stocks (220 M t, TE2018–FAOStat, 2021 ). China is the second largest maize producer but also a net importer, whereby stocks primarily buffer domestic demand and shocks, and are unlikely to be released onto the global market. Emergency reserves are costly and option contracts are likely more cost-effective for countries where maize contributes to animal feed and/or biofuel industries (Wright, 2012 ).

International trade allows countries to bridge the spatial disparity between supply and demand, but also bring into play potential distortions and (dis-)incentives. Domestic (grain) price support (e.g. floor prices, subsidies, import barriers) increase domestic market prices relative to world market prices and can boost domestic production as observed in China (Qian et al., 2015 ). China’s grain subsidy program has been labelled the largest food self-sufficiency project of all developing countries (Yi et al., 2015 ). Removal of agricultural supports globally would raise international maize prices and potentially increase the cost for many net‐importing countries. At the same time such increased international/import prices increases incentives for and competitiveness of domestic maize production to substitute for imports (Tokarick, 2005 ). The development of the bioethanol industry in the USA has long raised concerns over global maize markets with potentially reduced exports and higher maize prices. These could increase global food prices but also incentivize maize area expansion and aggravate negative environmental impacts like further deforestation (Ranum et al., 2014 ; Wallington et al., 2012 ; Wu & Guclu, 2013 ). In addition to the competitive distortions induced by agricultural supports, concerns have also been raised by the underlying resource demands and trade (e.g. feed use and nutrient trade–Bouwman & Booij, 1998 ; food miles–Kinnunen et al., 2020 ). Others have raised concerns about the political economy of global grain markets, especially as the four dominant agricultural trading firms (ADM, Bunge, Cargill and Louis-Dreyfus) control over 70 percent of the market (Clapp, 2015 ).

The diversity of maize products and uses also have some implications for its commoditization and trade. Specialty maize is suitable for specific end uses but implies the need to maintain product stewardship during production, supply, and distribution chains (Scott et al., 2019 ). This imposes additional costs, which may only be recouped if the specialty trait commands a premium in specific markets and maize identity can be preserved (Scott et al., 2019 ). For some observable traits this can create premium niche markets–e.g. blue maize (Blare et al., 2020 ; Keleman & Hellin, 2009 ), provitamin A-enriched orange maize (Prasanna et al., 2020 ) or vegetable maize (Hellin et al., 2011 ). For ‘invisible’ or less observable traits like quality protein maize (QPM) or high-Zinc maize, this could impose significant challenges (Hellin & Erenstein, 2009 ). The grain of GM-maize is also not easily distinguishable, but widely used in some of the big maize exporters (Cabrera-Ponce et al., 2019 ). This has fuelled consumer concerns, including a niche market for Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO)-free maize (Scott et al., 2019 ), demands for GMO-free food aid in southern Africa (Herrick, 2007 ; Muzhinji & Ntuli, 2021 ) and the aforementioned geographic segregation of USA and European maize markets. Overall, maize with its multi-product and multi-market channels has significant development potential (Keleman & Hellin, 2009 ; Keleman et al., 2013 ).

In sum, maize is set to become the most widely internationally traded cereal reflecting the marked spatial disparity between supply and demand, linking aggregate surplus production in the Americas and Europe and aggregate deficits in Asia and Africa. Maize markets are variously segmented by regulation and specialty maizes. Maize prices have been volatile and increasing in recent decades, aligned with broader concerns in relation to the interconnectedness and vulnerability of the global agri-food system.

5 R&D implications

Maize plays a key and increasing role in global agri-food systems. The previous sections summarized the status of maize production, consumption and international trade at the global and regional levels, focusing on the last few decades. We reflect here on the implications for research and development (R&D), with an emphasis on the Global South. We do so following the broad outcome categories of the agri-food systems framework: food & nutrition, environmental sustainability & resilience, and livelihoods & inclusiveness.

5.1 Food & nutrition

The co-existence of the triple burden of undernutrition (hunger), micronutrient malnutrition and overnutrition (overweight, obesity - Poole et al., 2021 ) has been variously associated with the prevailing agri-food systems. Concerns over the food and nutrition outcomes have been driving calls for agri-food system transformation. The direct and indirect pathways of consuming maize have different R&D implications for enhancing food and nutrition outcomes.

Maize’s human food pathway plays a geographically diverse role and has long been the focus to improve food security and the nutrition and health of vulnerable populations. This avenue merits continued R&D support given the importance of maize for food security in several geographies in the Global South. What is more, per capita food intake is increasing on aggregate, which together with continued population growth implies significant increase in needed maize for food in the coming decades. In the African and Latin American economies where maize is a traditional food crop, maize food consumption is likely to prevail and follow population growth. At the same time hunger has been increasing off-late with important implications for food access (FAO et al., 2021 ). Maize’s nutritional quality can be enhanced further through biofortification (Prasanna et al., 2020 ) and industrial fortification (Peña-Rosas et al., 2014 ) although this is dependent on the consumption pathway (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ). Highly processed food products, including maize derived, have been associated with junk food and overnutrition. There is immense potential in improving the processing and intake forms, including whole grain and enhanced nutritional retention (Poole et al., 2021 ), albeit with potential trade-offs for shelf-life (Gwirtz & Garcia-Casal, 2014 ). The utilization dimension of maize for food security thereby merits increased support to promote healthier diets (Grote et al., 2021 ). Given the varied maize food uses, there is a growing interest in nutritionally enriched maize, specialty maize, and improvement of end-use quality traits suitable for the processing industry and associated niche markets.

Maize’s livestock feed pathway provides an indirect pathway for enhancing food and nutrition outcomes, providing higher value and more protein rich/nutritious food products than the original grain. The nutrition transition (Popkin, 1999 ) and economic growth have boosted the consumption of animal-sourced foods, many heavily reliant on maize as feed. In much of the Global South this sets maize for continued growth. Opportunities exist to further improve the feed value of maize in its various feed uses, including the use of maize grain, maize by-products and forage/silage.

Maize’s high-level food-feed pathways potentially mask substantial heterogeneity. The Global South itself is heterogeneous, including the dichotomy between Asia (more feed) and Africa (more food). Geographic aggregations also can mask differences – e.g. neighbouring Mexico and USA in the Americas; and even within countries – e.g. contrasts between white maize for food and yellow maize for feed within Mexico. The scale and context of analysis clearly influences the R&D implications and their granularity. At the same time there are dynamics to consider, the nutrition transition being a case in point. The livestock feed pathway has been expanding rapidly, but is also increasingly exposed to countervailing powers to limit the consumption of animal-sourced foods and associated search for alternatives (including e.g. plant-based protein).

Many implications are indeed not black and white, but imply fuzzy gradients and trade-offs. Traditional maize production systems may be nutritionally diverse (e.g. the milpa system - de Frece & Poole, 2008 ; Falkowski et al., 2019 ). At the same time the food/nutrition security of many smallholder maize production systems improves when it extends beyond pure on farm production with important roles for value chains and market access (Frelat et al., 2016 ; Gelli et al., 2020 ). Similarly, there can be complementarities and/or competition between pathways. Maize grain characterizes human-edible feed – but the distinction becomes fuzzier when the grain quality is no longer fit for human consumption but can still be used as feed. Other feeds like maize silage may not be human-edible, but may still compete for resources with maize for food. By-products of maize grain production and processing also can provide important feed sources. At face value bioethanol production may appear as a non-food/feed use of maize with implications more focused on the Global North and the USA in particular—but it generates valuable animal feed with high nutritional value as by-product, and potentially displaces maize that otherwise might have been exported.

Additional research could quantify maize’s complex food and nutritional contribution, building on Mottet et al. ( 2017 ) and other studies. Such research should establish maize’s contribution through a comprehensive life cycle analysis, encompassing direct food pathways and indirect feed pathways. Such enhanced understanding could then also help better assess the potential of dual-purpose food-feed crops and prioritize food-feed pathway interventions. Given maize’s dual food-feed pathway, maize provides a good and challenging case to expand such research. In the end though, similar studies would be needed for the other main food and feed crops to provide an enhanced agri-food system perspective and multi-commodity synergy and substitution possibilities.

Further opportunities to enhance food and nutrition outcomes include food safety, food waste, and consumer behaviour. In some instances, appropriate solutions are largely there, but require deploying to vulnerable geographies (e.g. food safety innovations). Others may still need further adaptive research to enable scaling. Enhanced understanding of consumer behaviour, particularly among vulnerable groups and in different cultures, can provide further insights in addressing the triple burden of malnutrition and the role of maize therein (Poole et al., 2021 ). Some of the R&D implications of maize to enhance food and nutrition outcomes are explored further in other papers (e.g. agri-nutrition research–Poole et al., 2021 ; food security and regional value chains–Grote et al., 2021 ).

5.2 Environmental sustainability & resilience

The evolving agri-food systems have raised concerns about their environmental footprint and the need to stay within planetary boundaries (Willett et al., 2019 ). This makes it imperative to enhance the environmental sustainability and resilience of agri-food systems and has been another thrust in the calls for transformation. The different maize consumption pathways have different R&D implications for enhancing environmental sustainability and resilience outcomes.

Maize production systems in geographies where the human food pathway prevails tend to be relatively extensive with relatively low input use and yields. Increasing land pressure implies the need to intensify and close yield gaps (Fader et al., 2016 ). Much of SSA is a case in point with a prevalence of extensification contributing to past maize production increases. Extensive systems often mine soil fertility and reduce fallows, rather than use input intensification. This exacerbates soil organic carbon losses and land degradation, expands the agricultural frontier and potentially encroaches onto fragile ecosystems (Pelletier et al., 2020 ). This has led to increasing calls for sustainable agricultural intensification and associated R&D investments, particularly in Africa (Jayne & Sanchez, 2021 ; Jayne et al., 2019 ). Ongoing population growth and increasingly limited prospects for area expansion highlight the urgency of making real progress on sustainable intensification of maize-based systems in much of the Global South. Rural transformation has increased the prospects of such sustainable intensification, albeit significant support is still needed particularly in SSA (Jayne et al., 2019 ).

Maize production systems focused on the livestock feed pathway tend to be relatively intensive with relatively high input use and yields. Such intensive systems prevail in the Global North and can generate environmental externalities including pollution and land, water and ecosystem degradation. The North American corn belt is a case in point with algal blooms in the Gulf of Mexico variously associated with agricultural runoff and eutrophication. This has led to increasing calls to increase nitrogen use efficiency and respecting nitrogen-boundaries (Chang et al., 2021 ). Such intensive systems at the same time open opportunities for environmental sustainability, including the origin and advent of conservation agriculture.

Such high-level stylized dichotomies illustrate some of the contrasts and implications, but can also again mask some of the underlying heterogeneity. Systems often tend to present fuzzy gradients instead of clear-cut boundaries. For instance, recent work in Zambia has highlighted the co-existence of maize systems both intensifying as well as still expanding (Ngoma et al., 2021 ). Commercial systems around the livestock feed pathway (including maize, soy, pastures) have also been variously linked to deforestation in Brazil. This reiterates the need to consider the scale of analysis in deriving implications and the need for more detailed localized studies to contextualize. It also calls for enhanced spatial analysis: mapping global maize production allows overlays with other variables and thereby a better understanding and mapping of environmental implications and dynamics. Such analysis would need to go beyond the current maize mega-environments (which reflect rainfed maize potential based on temperature and rainfall) and include additional considerations (e.g. irrigation, biophysical, socio-economic). Some of the considerations in terms of a potential spatial research agenda are explored further in other papers (e.g. Erenstein et al., 2021 ).

Environmental sustainability and resilience also call for an inherently dynamic perspective. Environmental degradation erodes productive capacity over time, with potential tipping points and irreversibility. Climate change and biodiversity loss pose further challenges. Future maize production will be increasingly impaired by environmental drivers such as climate change and land degradation (Grote et al., 2021 ). Maize’s role in the stability dimension of food security thereby merits continued yet increased support (Grote et al., 2021 ). The sheer size of the maize economy implies the potential and urgency to explore climate change mitigation and adaptation options, including implications for biotic (pests, diseases) and abiotic (heat, drought) stresses.

R&D investments in making maize production more environmentally sustainable and resilient while adapting to climate change provide one avenue that is increasingly recognized, particularly in the Global South. At the same time care is needed not to encourage overextending maize’s reach – for instance, other dryland cereals may provide more resilient options in semi-arid environments. Demand side interventions also provide scope to improve the environmental sustainability, including a reduction of animal-sourced foods and thereby maize for feed to stay within planetary boundaries (Willett et al., 2019 ). Finally, international trade can both alleviate and exacerbate environmental impacts, including the environmental footprint of food miles, the implicit trade of environmental goods (e.g. water, nutrients) to stay within resource boundaries (Chang et al., 2021 ) and environmental spill over effects (e.g. deforestation associated with agricultural exports). Many such implications are again scale dependent (e.g., Europe including both maize importing and exporting nations).

5.3 Livelihoods & inclusiveness

Agricultural-based growth is more effective at reducing poverty than growth originating from other sectors (Townsend, 2015 ), also given much of remaining poverty is rural. This makes it imperative to enhance livelihood outcomes and inclusiveness of agri-food systems, particularly in the Global South. The different maize consumption pathways thereby again have different R&D implications for enhancing such outcomes, with growth as a key driver for poverty reduction.

Maize production often is key for food and livelihood security for resource-constrained smallholder farmers in geographies where the human food pathway prevails. Such farms typically are both producers and consumers of maize as food (jointness of production-consumption) with potential sale of surplus production. At the same time, these production systems often exhibit slow growth and risk aversion and are low input-low output. Remote traditional maize production systems are a case in point and can exhibit resistance to change (de Frece & Poole, 2008 ).

Maize productions systems geared towards the livestock feed pathway tend to be more market oriented and dynamic. Maize in such instances can be an attractive cash crop. Maize in non-traditional maize growing areas in South Asia are a case in point. Given the livestock revolution in the Global South these systems are of increasing importance. The market integration provides cash and intensification incentives and substantial private sector interest.

The foregoing dichotomy is associated with the marked divergence between large-scale commercial maize productions systems and smallholder maize production systems with marked variations in yield, technology use and business models. The stylized dichotomy again is illustrative and masks some of the underlying heterogeneity. For instance, many smallholders are crop-livestock farmers exploiting interactions and complementarities. But in these integrated systems the human food pathway often prevails, and livestock is primarily fed on maize by-products. As specialization and market integration increases the livestock feed pathway tends to increase in importance. The dichotomy does reflect a certain path dependence whereby maize can be particularly transformative in non-traditional maize environments. Maize thereby also plays a diverging role in the access dimension of food security – be it direct physical access to maize in the food pathway and an indirect access to food in general through improved income/purchasing power in the feed pathway. At the same time concerns have been raised about the affordability of sustainable and nutritious diets (Hirvonen et al., 2020 ) and thereby the need for affordable staple foods like maize (Poole et al., 2021 ).

Broad agricultural-based growth is more likely when profitability and livelihoods for actors and firms are inclusively secured throughout the value chain from production to retail. The diverse maize production systems create diverse incentives and implications for the private and public sector. Public support should thereby focus on the areas not well-catered for by the private sector and help redress divergences between private and societal interests. The political economy of maize also merits more attention, given the vested interests of its production, trade, input supply and processing industry. For instance, hybrid maize provides an attractive business model and spurs the growth of the seed industry, but concerns have been raised over the industry’s increasing concentration and focus on high potential areas (Erenstein & Kassie, 2018 ; Scoones & Thompson, 2011 ). Vested interests can thereby narrow options for smallholders and undermine the development of adaptive capacities (Brooks, 2014 ). Indeed, R&D investments can enable agricultural growth, enhance livelihoods and make domestic production more competitive vis-à-vis imports, but still require scarce resources that may compete with the interests of the urban consumers and policy makers and over time have been variously undermined by global commodity market developments.

Risk remains a major challenge for maize producing smallholders. Established risk coping mechanisms can hold back change and innovation and thereby the needed agricultural growth and poverty alleviation. R&D investments are needed to provide viable risk management mechanisms that enable and crowd-in intensification. Promising innovations in this regard include weather index insurance (Tadesse et al., 2015 ) and drought tolerance (Prasanna et al., 2021 ), and particularly bundling of such innovations can enhance impact (Boucher et al., 2019 ).

Particular attention is needed to enhance the inclusiveness of R&D investments, including women, marginalized communities, and the resource poor. The R&D implications will thereby vary by the food and feed pathways. The human food pathway particularly merits public R&D support both to initiate growth and to ensure inclusiveness. The livestock feed pathway is inherently more market driven and dynamic – but thereby calls for public support to focus on the inclusiveness dimension. The equitable transformation of agri-food systems thus calls for an enabling environment for accelerated, affordable and inclusive access and use of improved technologies and the associated strengthening of maize input and output value chains and markets across food and feed uses and support services and policies.

5.4 Cross-cutting implications

One of the most effective ways to promote agricultural growth is investment in agricultural R&D (Fuglie et al., 2020 ). Continued maize yield growth calls for a tripartite contribution of improved germplasm, improved crop management and enabling policies. Improved germplasm is particularly needed to continue to raise the maize yield frontier (yield potential), make it more resilient to the changing climates, enhance the nutritional value through biofortification, and address emerging challenges and opportunities, including transboundary diseases and insect-pests (Prasanna et al., 2021 ). Improved crop management is particularly needed to close yield gaps and stay within planetary boundaries, including sustainable intensification of maize production and reduced environmental externalities. Enabling policies are particularly needed to enable the further adaptation and use of the many promising innovations to increase and maintain maize productivity and alleviate constraints (e.g., access to improved seeds, finance, education/training and risk management–Grote et al., 2021 ), mainly in the Global South and in an inclusive way. The tripartite contribution generates important synergies, each enhancing the impact of the other and thereby focus on one cannot simply substitute for the other. At the same time maize yield growth variously impinges on each of the three agri-food system outcome categories.

Agri-food systems are inherently complex and involve a varied role for maize with three important final R&D implications in the context of agri-food system transformation. First, we need to understand and consider potential trade-offs and synergies. Maize’s food-feed pathways have different implications and outcomes. Ideally, innovations simultaneously improve food & nutrition, environment & resilience and livelihoods & inclusiveness outcomes. More likely, there will be inherent contradictions and trade-offs. This calls for multidisciplinary approaches and the need to include user and policy perspectives. Understanding and managing trade-offs will be key in informing priorities and scenarios and aligning private incentives and societal interests. Second, agri-food systems, the role of maize and improvements are context dependent. Even though we focus on a single, albeit major, commodity, the current paper can only provide a broad-brush appraisal and illustrates the complexity and the challenge of deriving high level R&D implications. There is a need for further contextualization and operationalization at lower aggregation levels. Third, the situation is dynamic, including the agri-food systems, the role of maize and the general bio-physical and socio-economic context. There is thus not only the need to better understand agri-food systems but also to monitor their transformation (Fanzo et al., 2021 ) with important feedback and learning implications. This calls for policy responses that adapt to these changes and that facilitate and encourage multiple integrated R&D options with transformative potential. In the end, the sheer size, heterogeneity and rapid evolution of the global maize economy calls for more detailed analysis about maize and its evolving and varied roles in the agri-food systems, including enhanced insights into the associated drivers and modifiers. Future research could provide such more detailed spatial, dynamic and socio-political analysis and enhance the transformative power of maize and agri-food systems towards the 2030 Agenda.

6 Conclusion

Maize is a major global commodity that plays a key and increasing role in global agri-food systems including direct food consumption and indirect feed pathways for animal-sourced foods. It is a versatile multi-purpose crop; although primarily used as feed globally, it continues to be an important food crop in SSA and Latin America, and has several non-food uses globally. Global maize production has surged in the past decades, propelled by rising demand and a combination of yield increases and area expansion. Global maize use is set for continued growth. It is already the leading cereal in terms of production volume and is set to become the most widely grown crop in terms of area in the coming decade. Maize is set to become the most widely internationally traded cereal reflecting the marked spatial disparity between supply and demand. Numerous opportunities exist to further improve maize’s contribution to the food & nutrition, environmental sustainability & resilience, and livelihoods & inclusiveness outcomes of agri-food systems, particularly in the Global South. Due attention is needed for potential trade-offs/synergies, context and dynamics to further enhance the transformative power of maize and agri-food systems towards the 2030 Agenda. This calls for substantive investments in international agri-food system R&D, particularly in the Global South. Taken together an integrated inclusive approach should go a long way to raise the development potential of maize in agri-food systems, enhance food/nutrition security and stay within planetary boundaries over the coming decades.

We assess available secondary data on maize production, consumption and international trade from FAOStat ( 2021 ) and complementary indicators from other sources (specifically indicated where other than FAOStat, 2021 ), and review associated literature.

Reference to maize in general refers to maize for dry grain only, like other cereal crops (FAO-ESS, 2021 ). Where reference is made to maize harvested green for forage/silage or for food (cobs) this will be explicitly mentioned.

To estimate and map maize calorie supply (and demand) we build on and modify the work done by Kinnunen et al. ( 2020 ). For the supply side, the SPAM 2010 (IFPRI, 2019 ), a maize production grid based on spatially allocated sub-national statistics, was utilized together with a calorie value per ton (based on Cassidy et al., 2013 ) to calculate maize based energy per 10 × 10 km 2 pixel. Using raster calculator in ArcMap 10.8.1 from this food energy grid losses in production and post-harvest were subtracted (using regional values according to Gustavsson et al., 2011 ). Subsequently calorie allocation fractions for human food use were applied on country basis, subtracting maize used for feed and other non-food purposes based on FAOStat ( 2021 ).

Reference here to maize’s (human) food pathway encompasses the use of maize in food products (processed or unprocessed) and their direct consumption as food by humans.

Reference here to maize’s (livestock) feed pathway encompasses its use as feed to derive animal-sourced foods and thereby provides an indirect consumption pathway.

To estimate and map maize calorie demand we again build on and modify the work done by Kinnunen et al. ( 2020 ). The 2017 Landscan population data set (Bright et al., 2018 ) was used to create the demand side grid by multiplying with the annual maize calorie demand by person and year derived from the FAO food balance sheets at country level. For those countries without current values like Somalia, D.R. Congo and others, older FAO data and secondary sources were utilized. Grids representing losses related to processing, packaging, and transport as well as consumer food waste (Gustavsson et al., 2011 ) were added for the final demand grid.

173 M t of maize being traded internationally (export basis) against a global production of 1,137 M t (TE2019). This compares to 189 M t traded for wheat, the most widely traded crop – but representing 25% given production of 757 M t (see Table 1 ; FAOStat, 2021 ).

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Wu, F., Stacy, S. L., & Kensler, T. W. (2013). Global Risk Assessment of Aflatoxins in Maize and Peanuts: Are Regulatory Standards Adequately Protective? Toxicological Sciences, 135 , 251–259. https://doi.org/10.1093/toxsci/kft132

Yi, F., Sun, D., & Zhou, Y. (2015). Grain subsidy, liquidity constraints and food security–Impact of the grain subsidy program on the grain-sown areas in China. Food Policy, 50, 114–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.10.009 .

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge support from the CGIAR Research Program on Maize Agri-food Systems (CRP MAIZE). The authors also acknowledge the suggestions from reviewers which have helped shape the final version. The contents and opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the associated and/or supporting institutions. The usual disclaimer applies.

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Olaf Erenstein, Kai Sonder & Khondoker Mottaleb

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Erenstein, O., Jaleta, M., Sonder, K. et al. Global maize production, consumption and trade: trends and R&D implications. Food Sec. 14 , 1295–1319 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-022-01288-7

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Issue Date : October 2022

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-022-01288-7

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REVISED NewCo Maize Mill BUSINESS PLAN V6.3 Sept

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Business Plan Contents Page for Maize Production

Maize production, the cultivation of corn, stands as a fundamental agricultural endeavor across the globe. This significant activity encompasses a series of detailed steps from the initial planting of maize seeds to the careful nurturing of maize plants. As the plants reach maturity, the focus shifts to harvesting the ripe cobs, followed by processing them into a myriad of products that serve various needs. The journey of maize from seed to final product is a testament to its versatility and central role in food security and industrial applications.

The importance of a well-formulated business plan cannot be overstated in the realm of maize production. A strategic plan serves as a roadmap for navigating all facets of the business, encompassing production timelines, financial management, marketing approaches, and distribution channels. This plan not only identifies which maize varieties may yield the highest profits but also provides insights into the competitive landscape. Crafting such a plan necessitates foresight and adaptability to overcome potential hurdles that may arise.

Challenges in the Maize Production Field

Despite the promising opportunities, the maize production sector faces an array of challenges. These challenges span environmental, such as the impacts of climate change that disrupt traditional weather patterns, leading to droughts or floods, and socio-economic, including limited access to modern agricultural inputs due to financial constraints. Infrastructure deficiencies and post-harvest losses inflicted by pests and diseases further complicate the picture, threatening yield and profitability.

Key Players in the Maize Production Industry

Globally, the maize production industry sees a variety of key players, with prominent producers like the United States, China, Brazil, and several African nations including Nigeria and South Africa. Each of these players brings unique strengths and strategies to the table, influencing global maize production dynamics.

Comprehensive Market Analysis Current Maize Market Trends

The maize market is currently experiencing a robust increase in demand, driven by its use in ethanol production and the intensifying need in the animal feed sector. The advent of biofortified maize cultivars also appeals to a health- and wellness-conscious global demographic, adding a dimension of nutritional value to the crop’s appeal.

Analysis of Consumers and their Preferences

In the consumer arena, preferences for maize products can differ dramatically based on intended use and regional cultural practices. For example, white maize often takes precedence in African markets for direct human consumption, while yellow maize is more commonly utilized for animal feed in Western economies. Organic maize is rising in popularity, reflecting a broader societal shift towards health-conscious living and sustainable farming practices.

Competitor Analysis

To conduct a comprehensive competitor analysis within the maize industry, businesses must delve deep into the operational profiles of existing maize producers. This analysis should cover production volumes, the range of maize varieties cultivated, market reach, and strategic positioning. Understanding the strengths and vulnerabilities of competitors is key to identifying market gaps and developing a competitive edge.

Defining Your Business Model for Maize Production

Identifying your Unique Selling Proposition

Determining and highlighting your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is a foundational step in defining your business model in maize production. This USP distinguishes you in the market and attracts a specific customer base. For instance, specializing in a rare variety of maize that isn’t commonly found in your area could attract customers looking for that particular product. Embracing organic maize production is another way to stand out, especially in a market that values environmentally friendly and health-conscious farming practices. Another USP could be a commitment to providing a consistent supply of maize throughout the year, addressing common market shortages and positioning your business as a reliable source. Understanding and leveraging your USP effectively can significantly enhance your market position and brand recognition.

Advanced Techniques in Maize Production

Incorporating advanced techniques in maize production can give your business a competitive edge. Embracing new and improved maize varieties that are high-yielding, drought-resistant, and pest-resistant can ensure higher productivity and resilience against environmental challenges. Precision farming techniques can optimize the use of resources like water and fertilizers, leading to more sustainable and cost-effective production. Moreover, the adoption of innovative post-harvest technologies can substantially reduce losses, ensuring more of your produce reaches the market in good condition. Employing these advanced techniques can not only improve the efficiency and yield of your maize production but also appeal to a market segment that values innovation and sustainability.

Maize Varieties and Types that Suit your Business

Selecting the appropriate maize varieties and types is crucial and should be based on several factors. Market demand analysis can guide you in choosing varieties that are in high demand or lacking in your target market. Climate and soil suitability are critical in determining which maize varieties will thrive in your geographical location. It’s also important to consider the availability of resources such as water, labor, and capital, and how they align with the requirements of the chosen maize variety. Lastly, potential profitability within your niche market is a key determinant. This decision should align with your business goals, the identified market needs, and the ecological conditions of your farming area.

Business Plan Essentials

Setting Business Goals and Objectives

Establishing clear, concrete, and measurable business goals and objectives is essential for the success of your maize production business. These goals might encompass a range of aspects, such as achieving certain levels of productivity, reaching specific revenue targets, or penetrating particular market segments. Setting quality standards for your produce could also be a significant goal, especially if you are focusing on premium or niche markets. These goals and objectives serve as a roadmap, guiding daily operations and strategic decisions, and providing a benchmark for measuring the success and growth of your business.

Planning Your Business Operations

A comprehensive plan for business operations is fundamental. This should encompass every aspect of your maize production process. Key areas include cultivation practices, where you outline the farming techniques and timelines; labor requirements, detailing the workforce needed for different phases of production; equipment needs, specifying the machinery and tools required for efficient farming; pest and disease management, planning for the prevention and control of potential threats; post-harvest handling, which includes storage and quality control measures; and distribution strategies, determining how the produce will reach the market. A well-planned operational framework ensures smooth running of your business and can significantly improve efficiency and productivity.

Formulating a Business Growth Strategy

Developing a growth strategy is essential for scaling your maize production business. This strategy should clearly outline how you intend to expand your operations over time. Considerations might include increasing the scale of production to meet growing market demand, diversifying the types of maize grown to cater to different market segments, expanding your market reach perhaps by entering new geographical areas or market segments, or exploring value-added opportunities such as maize processing. A growth strategy should be ambitious yet realistic, taking into account the resources available and market conditions.

Financial Projections and Costs

Estimating Startup Costs

Accurately estimating startup costs is a critical step in launching your maize production business. These costs typically cover several key areas. Land acquisition or lease costs are primary expenses and vary greatly depending on location and size. Seed purchase expenses are directly tied to the scale of your operations and the varieties of maize chosen. Labor costs will depend on the manpower required for cultivation and harvesting. Machinery costs involve the procurement of essential farming equipment. Marketing and distribution expenses are crucial for ensuring your product reaches the market effectively. Lastly, a contingency fund should be allocated to cover unexpected expenses, providing a financial cushion for unforeseen challenges.

Projected Revenue and Profit

Creating projections for revenue and profit involves estimating the potential output of your maize production and the anticipated market prices. This projection should also account for overhead costs such as labor, equipment maintenance, and any other recurring expenses. By analyzing these figures, you can gain clarity on the financial viability of your maize production business. These projections will also be crucial for attracting investors or securing financing, as they demonstrate the potential return on investment.

Break-even Analysis

Performing a break-even analysis is vital to understanding the financial dynamics of your maize production business. This analysis will help determine the volume of maize that needs to be produced and sold to cover all your startup and operational costs. It is an essential tool for financial planning, giving you a clear picture of the sales targets you need to meet to become profitable. Understanding your break-even point is crucial for making informed decisions about pricing, scaling production, and managing costs.

Risk Management and Mitigation

Identifying Risks in Maize Production

Maize production, like other agricultural ventures, is fraught with a myriad of challenges and uncertainties. These risks can be broadly categorized into climatic, biological, and market-based threats. Climatic risks, for instance, are highly unpredictable and can have devastating impacts. Factors such as drought can lead to water scarcity affecting the crop’s growth, while excessive rainfall can lead to waterlogged fields and root rot. Both extremes can result in significant yield loss.

Then there are biological risks. These encompass threats posed by pests like the maize borer or diseases like maize streak virus. Additionally, there can be risks associated with crop failure due to factors like poor soil health or ineffective fertilizers. Beyond the confines of the farm, market risks also loom large. These range from unpredictable price fluctuations influenced by external economic factors to challenges in accessing lucrative markets or even barriers in international trade.

Preventive Measures and Mitigation

To address these risks, farmers and agricultural entities need to adopt a multi-faceted approach to risk mitigation. Climate-smart farming techniques, for instance, can be instrumental. This might involve the use of drought-resistant maize varieties, or adopting conservation agriculture practices that preserve soil moisture.

Biological threats require a different set of interventions. Integrated pest management, for example, combines biological, cultural, and chemical methods to control pest populations, ensuring they don’t reach damaging levels. Furthermore, crop insurance can serve as a financial safety net, compensating farmers in case of significant crop loss. Post-harvest, attention needs to be directed towards handling practices to ensure the maize is stored without contamination or pest infestation.

On the market side, diversification is key. By having multiple market avenues, producers can shield themselves from the volatility of a single market. It also allows them to tap into different price points and customer segments, ensuring more consistent revenue streams.

Implementation Plan

Cultivation Calendar and Production Timeline

Planning is paramount in agriculture, and a cultivation calendar is an indispensable tool in this regard. Such a calendar provides a structured overview of the entire production cycle. It would detail when to prepare the land, the optimal planting period, key milestones for pest and disease management, and the expected harvest window. By synchronizing this with anticipated rainfall patterns, farmers can optimize irrigation and reduce water wastage. Aligning the calendar with market cycles also ensures that the maize is harvested and sold at the most opportune time, fetching the best prices.

Quality Assurance Plans

Ensuring the quality of maize production is not just a matter of crop health, but also of market viability. High-quality maize will invariably find better markets and yield better prices. A robust quality assurance plan may involve regular on-field inspections to monitor crop health, utilizing organic fertilizers and pesticides to ensure residue-free produce, and even post-harvest measures. This includes ensuring the maize is dried to the right moisture levels, stored in pest-free environments, and handled with the utmost hygiene to prevent contamination.

Marketing and Distribution Strategy

The journey from farm to fork is one that requires strategic thinking. Identifying your primary target markets, be it local vendors, bulk buyers, or international exporters, can influence how you package and price your maize. Competitive pricing strategies, informed by market research, can ensure profitability. Additionally, effective packaging can enhance product shelf life and appeal. Promotion strategies, such as advertising or leveraging digital platforms, can boost visibility and demand. Lastly, the distribution mechanism needs to be efficient. Whether it’s leveraging local transport networks or partnering with logistics firms, ensuring timely and cost-effective delivery is essential in the value chain.

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Starting Maize Farming Business in South Africa – Business Plan (PDF, Word & Excel)

Posted by BizBolts | Agriculture , All Articles , Business Plans , Crop Farming

Maize farming, often regarded as the heartbeat of the South Africa’s agriculture industry, presents an alluring prospect for those seeking a robust and rewarding business venture. With a rich heritage deeply rooted in maize consumption and production, South Africa offers a nurturing environment for the maize farming business. Maize holds a prominent place in the nation’s culinary and cultural heritage. As a staple food that graces countless dinner tables, its demand remains steadfast year after year. Maize is the most used feed grain in South Africa and staple food for the majority of South Africans. This steady demand, coupled with the nation’s diverse climatic zones and government support for the agricultural sector, forms the bedrock of the maize farming industry’s potential. Furthermore, the ability to contribute to local food security, explore export opportunities, and adapt to sustainable practices makes maize farming not only a financially lucrative endeavor but also a rewarding one, aligning perfectly with the broader goal of promoting agricultural sustainability and prosperity in South Africa. This article will outline how to start the maize farming business in South Africa, and the maize farming business plan – PDF, Word & Excel.

Before you start the maize farming business, there are some important decisions which you have to make. You have to decide on the size of your maize production business ie how many hectares of maize you will farm.  There are many different maize varieties/cultivars, so you have to select which one you will farm, the season you are going to carry out your maize farming, and your target market. The size of your maize farming business will depend on the size of land you have, the amount of capital you have, and your target market. It’s important that you have a good maize production business plan before you venture into this business.

Market Research

Market research is a crucial initial step when embarking on the journey of starting a maize farming business in South Africa. To ensure the success and sustainability of your venture, it’s essential to gain a deep understanding of the market landscape. Firstly, identifying your target market is vital. Determine whether you plan to cater to local consumers, regional markets, or even international export markets, and define your target audience clearly. Furthermore, market research should encompass pricing strategies, regulatory compliance, and staying attuned to market trends and innovations. By calculating production costs and aligning your pricing strategy with market prices, you can estimate potential profits. Part of your market research should involve a comprehensive understanding of maize pricing dynamics within your target market. This includes identifying the prevailing market prices for maize and its related products, determining the factors influencing price fluctuations, and recognizing the seasonality of maize prices. Equally important is identifying your potential customer base and their buying behaviors. By delving into these aspects, you can strategically position your maize farming business, set competitive prices, and plan your production and marketing strategies to capitalize on favorable price trends and consumer demand fluctuations throughout the year

Land for Maize Farming Business

Land is a primary requirement and must be suitable for maize farming. To be profitable in the maize farming business, you should harvest as much yield as possible, and the type of soil on your maize farming has an impact on the yield. When it comes to maize farming, soil fertility is of utmost importance. The use of decayed leaves, compost or animal manure as organic matter is highly recommended to increase the soil fertility.  The soil should have good drainage, and should not contain toxic materials. The soil should also have good water holding capacities. Maize can grow on a wide array of soil textures depending on the type of maize. pH of the soil for maize farming should be between 6-7.

Machinery & Equipment for Maize Production Business

You will need different kinds of machinery and equipment for your maize farming business. Land preparation is essential before you plant maize, and that requires different types of machinery and equipment. Subsistence maize farmers can prepare the land with hand held equipment and animal drawn equipment since their lands are small. However for commercial maize farming businesses, there is need for machinery and equipment such as tractors, fertiliser spreaders, combine harvesters, irrigation equipment. It will cheap to hire the equipment as an and when you need it, instead of buying.

Maize farming can be done with or without irrigation. If you are using irrigation, you will need power for the irrigation system. You can incorporate the use of electricity powered pumps, solar or fuel powered pumps. Higher level of mechanisation in your maize farming operations will lead to higher efficiency hence higher profitability. Your maize farming business plan should cater for the costs of purchasing or hiring machinery and equipment.

Maize Farming Inputs

You will require maize seeds to start maize farming in South Africa. Ensure that you buy quality maize seeds from certified and reputable suppliers. Poor quality maize seed will lead to low yields and poor quality of the harvested maize. The popular suppliers of maize seeds in South Africa include Pioneer Seeds, Monsanto, Pannar Seeds and Sensako. You can plant white or yellow maize as they are both in demand in South Africa.

The other important input in maize farming are fertilisers. Fertilisers increase the fertility of the soil thus supporting the growth of the maize.  Maize requires a variety of essential nutrients for it to grow to its full potential. These nutrients include nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. These nutrients should be provided via fertilisers and manure to promote growth of the maize crops.  Weed control is also essential during maize farming, and this is done by applying herbicides.  Fungicides and insecticides are essential  for protection of your plants against insects and fungi. The costs of acquiring all these inputs should be included in your maize farming budgets.

Pests, Weeds & Disease Control

Managing pests, weeds, and diseases is an integral aspect of successful maize farming. Pests such as aphids, cutworms, and maize borers can devastate a maize crop if not properly controlled. Employing integrated pest management (IPM) practices is a recommended approach. IPM involves a combination of preventive measures, such as selecting maize varieties with natural pest resistance, and targeted interventions like the judicious use of pesticides when necessary. Regular field monitoring is essential to detect pest infestations early, enabling timely and effective responses to protect your maize crop. In addition to pest management, weed control is equally critical. Weeds compete with maize plants for essential resources like nutrients, water, and sunlight, which can lead to reduced yields. Effective weed management includes practices like proper land preparation, the use of pre-plant herbicides, and post-emergence weeding techniques. Employing herbicides as part of your weed management strategy, both before planting and post-emergence, can help keep weed populations in check. Additionally, the use of fungicides is pivotal in preventing and controlling diseases like maize rust and leaf blight. Furthermore, diseases like maize rust and leaf blight can pose significant threats. Disease-resistant maize varieties and sanitation practices, such as removing and destroying infected plants, are crucial components of disease control. By giving due emphasis to the responsible application of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides, you can fortify your maize farming efforts and ensure the health and productivity of your crop.

Labour for Maize Farming Business

When doing maize farming business, you will need to hire part time farm workers as and when necessary. Part-time labourers will be required because there’s a lot of seasonal work to be done. Some of the activities will include land preparation, seed planting, applying fertilisers and manure, ploughing, harvesting, amongst several others. The part time farm workers should be paid according to the number of days worked so as to cut costs.  You also require supervisors, farm manager, finance & accounting staff, and logistics staff depending on the scale of your maize farming business. The wages and salaries of your workers should be included in your maize farming business plan.

Maize Farming Business Model

In the maize farming business model, the process begins with securing suitable land for cultivation. Once you have your land, you plant maize seeds, initiating the growth cycle. Throughout the growth period, you must provide essential inputs, including regular watering, fertilizers to enrich soil nutrients, and pesticides to protect against pests and diseases. Additionally, labor costs are incurred for tasks such as planting, maintenance, and eventual harvesting. It’s essential to note that the specific timeline for harvesting typically falls between 4 to 6 months after planting. The potential for profit in maize farming lies in the substantial yield, which can range from 5 to 15 tonnes per hectare. This yield varies depending on factors like the chosen production system, the quality of inputs used, and the maize variety cultivated. The revenue from selling the maize surpasses the initial inputs, production costs, and operational expenses, resulting in good profits. The business model underscores the importance of efficient planning, diligent execution, and market-savvy strategies to maximize your returns in the maize farming business.

The market for maize in South Africa is very huge and is ever increasing. The local demand for maize is about 10 million tonnes per year. South Africa also exports excess maize to other African countries. Maize has a variety of uses in South Africa. It’s consumed green maize. It is also milled to produce maize meal which is used in meals in South Africa. It can also be used to make maize oil which is used in cooking. Cereal can also be made using maize. Maize also has a variety of industrial uses, including in  paper coating and sizing, soap, adhesives, rust proofing for metal surfaces, inks, paint, textiles, , salve and insecticides. Maize is also used to make livestock and poultry feeds, especially yellow maize . You can supply your maize to individuals, maize millers, animal feed producers, traders, food processors, organisations and industrial companies. Your maize business plan ought to include a proper market analysis and marketing plan to use in your maize farming business.

Keys to Profitability in Maize Farming Business

Achieving profitability in your maize farming business in South Africa hinges on a multifaceted approach that encompasses several key factors. First and foremost, it’s crucial to invest in high-quality inputs and adopt sound agronomic practices. This includes using top-notch seeds, fertilizers, and pest control methods, while also implementing efficient planting, irrigation, and soil management techniques. Such measures are essential in optimizing crop health and yield, setting the stage for financial success.

Selecting the right maize varieties is another pivotal aspect. By choosing varieties that align with your region’s specific conditions and meet market demands, you can enhance your chances of success. Diversification and risk management also play a vital role, as planting multiple crops alongside maize can help mitigate potential losses due to weather or market fluctuations. Additionally, maintaining a market-oriented approach is essential. Staying abreast of market trends and consumer preferences, diversifying revenue streams, and controlling costs are integral elements that enable you to tailor your production to market demands.

Effective post-harvest handling practices, budgeting, financial management, and networking with industry stakeholders are all crucial components of a successful maize farming business model. Furthermore, a commitment to continuous learning and adaptation to new farming techniques and technologies will keep your venture competitive and resilient. By incorporating these strategies and approaches, you can unlock the full potential of your maize farming venture in South Africa, positioning it for profitability and long-term sustainability.

Advantages of Maize Farming Business in South Africa

Starting a maize farming business in South Africa comes with a plethora of advantages that make it an appealing venture for both seasoned farmers and newcomers to the agricultural sector. One of the foremost benefits is the steady demand and market stability of maize in the country. As a staple food, maize enjoys unwavering popularity, ensuring a reliable customer base for farmers. South Africa’s well-established maize industry further reinforces market stability, reducing the risk of unpredictable price fluctuations.

The geographical diversity of South Africa’s climatic zones is another advantage that maize farmers can leverage. This diversity enables maize cultivation throughout the year in different regions, allowing farmers to adapt their planting and harvesting times to local conditions. Moreover, the country’s varied climatic zones help mitigate the impact of adverse weather events, enhancing the resilience of maize farming.

Maize farming in South Africa offers opportunities for expansion beyond domestic borders. The country has the potential to export maize and its products to neighboring nations and international markets, providing farmers with additional revenue streams. Furthermore, the government’s support for the agricultural sector through subsidies, grants, and technical assistance plays a crucial role in reducing the financial burden on maize farmers and encourages the adoption of sustainable farming practices. Overall, a maize farming business in South Africa not only promises a stable income but also contributes to local food security, making it a well-rounded and advantageous venture within the agricultural landscape.

PRE-WRITTEN MAIZE FARMING BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL): COMPREHENSIVE VERSION, SHORT FUNDING/BANK LOAN VERSION AND AUTOMATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

For an in-depth analysis of the maize farming business in South Africa, purchase our maize farming business plan. We decided to introduce the business plans after noting that many South Africans were venturing into the maize production business without a full understanding of the industry, market, how to run the business, the risks involved, profitability of the business and the costs involved, leading to a high failure rate of their businesses.

Our business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run a maize production business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as the maize production business plan will lay out all the costs involved in setting up and running the maize farming business. The business plan is designed specifically for the South African market.

USES OF THE MAIZE PRODUCTION BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL)

The maize production business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your maize farming business
• As a maize farming project proposal
• Assessing profitability of the maize farming business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

CONTENTS OF THE MAIZE FARMING BUSINESS PLAN (PDF, WORD AND EXCEL)

The business plan includes, but not limited to:

• Market Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• 5 Year Automated Financial Statements [ Income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, monthly cash flow projections (3 years monthly cash flow projections, the remaining two years annually),break even analysis, payback period analysis, start-up costs, financial graphs, revenue and expenses, Bank Loan Amortisation]
• Marketing Strategy
• Risk Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements
• Maize farming guide (Technical Details of how to plant, grow and harvest the maize)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some South Africans in the maize production business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your maize farming business in South Africa
• Directory [Contact Details for South African suppliers of inputs (seeds, fertilisers, equipment etc) and contacts of maize farming training companies in South Africa]

The Maize Farming Business Plan package consist of 4 files

• Maize Farming Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive – 95 pages)
• Maize Farming Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive – 95 pages)
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• Maize Farming Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel file)

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Business Planning Zimbabwe

Pre-Written Business Plans

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How To Start A Maize Farming Business and The Business Plan

Maize farming is a key pillar in addressing Zimbabwe’s food security concerns. Maize is a staple food crop for Zimbabwe and accounts for over 50% of the country’s average calorie consumption. In a population of 15.2 million people, a family of 6 derive 10% of their monthly food consumption value from maize. The animal feed industry also makes use of maize as a main energy source for 60% of its products sustaining 40 million broilers and a dairy herd of about 23,000 annually. All in all, an estimated 2.1 million MT of the commodity is consumed in the country annually across board.

In Zimbabwe, maize farming is popular in over 90% of farming households distributed across the country. The crop constitutes over 60% of the country’s total land area under crop cultivation. It claims close to 90% of the total land area under cereal production. In the overall economy, the crop contributes about 14% to agricultural GDP and is second to tobacco, which contributes about 26%. Maize is thus considered a strategic commodity in the Zimbabwean economy, as a food security crop and agro-industrial processing.

All agro-ecological regions of Zimbabwe are conducive for maize farming all though yields tend to be higher in certain regions as compared to others. The crop attracts sizeable investments from diverse farmer categories (communal, Old Resettlement (OR), A1, A2, Small Scale Commercial and Peri-Urban farmers) largely because of its strategic role as a staple food crop. We strongly believe you are some what interested in the crop and for whatever reason you are reading this article, below are some of considerations you should take note of before you decide to start your maize farming business.

Make Your Decision

You have to decide on your desired farming scale in hectors, the type of maize you want to plant, the season for planting as well as your target market profile. Before anything else, it is largely encouraged that you conduct a feasibility study assessing your capacity to successfully and competitively grow the crop. Generally, the amount of maize you may farm is largely dependent on your financial muscle, available land and target market. Market research is also critical and it is equally true for the need to conduct proper business planning. Your success in maize farming is dependent on your capacity to adequately plan for the venture. This article attempts to shed light on how you can plan for a successful maize farming business. For comprehensive analysis of the maize farming industry, consider getting the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via ecocash.

Farming Inputs

The maize farming business requires quite a number of farming inputs which include adequate land, labour, seed, agrochemicals and well suiting machinery. To operate a successful maize farming business you will mostly need a high yielding seed whose properties match your soil profile, desired growing season and available moisture.

Farmers have a broad category of maize seed varieties to pick from. Maize seed varieties include the early maturing, ultra early maturing, medium maturing and late maturing breeds. From these, the most popular among farmers in Zimbabwe are the hybrid high yielding varieties and some late maturing varieties.

As a farmer you should always get your seeds from reputable suppliers. The market is awash with counterfeit seeds which could affect the overall performance of your maize farming business. In general, maize will mature in 90-130 days depending on the selected variety. The Pioneer P2809W reaches flowering stage in 56 days while the Seedco`s SC403 requires about 130 days to reach full physiological maturity.

Land Requirements

For optimum performance, maize requires deep well drained and fertile soils and a total seasonal rainfall that exceeds 500mm. Successful maize farming is determined by good land preparation and a controlled tillage system. Proper land preparation ensures that the maize is planted on soils that support proper water infiltration and optimum root development. Soil should also be taken for an in-depth analysis so as to ascertain its overall properties. However, maize will grow well in soil with a pH of 5.5 – 6.5. Anything outside of this pH range will result in poor plant development characterised by inefficient soil nutrient conversion.

Managing Pests And Weeds

Maize is commonly affected by pests such as the fall army worm and the maize stalk borer. It is therefore important that you make use of the best pesticides so as to have a pest free maize crop. You will also need to ensure that your maize crop is kept as weed free as possible. Weeds, if left unattended to will negatively impact the overall yield of your maize crop. Therefore, to ensure for a weed free maize crop use herbicides.

Fertilisation Program

To ensure for the efficient growth and development of your maize crop you need to apply adequate fertilisers. It is critical that the maize fertilisation program be informed by prior soil sampling. Soil sampling will give you guidelines on the quantities and types of fertiliser to use on your crop.

Labour And Machinery Requirements

You will need adequate labour and mechanical power in order to have a successful maize production business. Outside of having permanent salaried workers, you will need to hire on demand/part time farm labour. The same also applies for the machinery you will need for ploughing the land, planting and harvesting stages among other critical stages in maize production. This is meant to control farm expenditures as these units of production are paid based on use ( i.e the number of days worked on the farm.

Maize Marketing

As has been mentioned above, maize is the staple food for Zimbabwe hence it will always have a ready market. Depending on your yields, target market may include but not limited to, the Grain Marketing Board(GMB), grain millers, boarding schools, middlemen including transporters, breweries as well as animal feed manufactures. It is noteworthy that the retell price will vary depending with your target market. Although government takes up the responsibility of setting maize base prices, the unaligned structure of maize production creates room for a lot of side marketing. Hence it is important that farmers make due diligence in researching and deciding where to market their maize for improved profitability. Most importantly, the basic profits you stand to obtain from you maize agribusiness will depend on your input cost structure, overall yield and the final selling price.

Now that you know a bit about maize farming in Zimbabwe, you might as well learn more from our comprehensive maize farming business plan.

The Maize Farming Business Plan

Our maize business plan is tailor made for individuals seeking detailed and most recent information about maize farming in Zimbabwe. You can purchase the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. You can either get it as a pre-written document or request for a customised version of the business plan at an extra charge. The customised business plan requires that you furnish us with your specific details and area of interest. Our maize business plan is bankable and contains information on how to successfully manage your production cycles, and prepare for future possible risks associated with the business.

With our business plan, you will ultimately find it easy to plan and budget for your Maize farming business. It will help you better navigate the maize value chain so you may be able to strategically position your farming business for improved profitability. As the old saying goes, failing to plan equates to planning to fail. With our maize production business plan, you will be fully informed of what is needed to successfully operate a maize agribusiness.

The Business Plan Contents

Our business plan contains following subsections as listed below and more:

• Operational Requirements
• Planning For Sustainable Farming
• Target Market Analysis
• Marketing Strategy
• Advertising & Promotion Plans
• Competition Analysis
• SWOT analysis
• PSTEL Analysis
• Risk Analysis
• Financial Statements

Purchasing The Maize Farming Business Plan

You can get a soft copy package of the maize farming business plan for just US$10 payable via Ecocash. The business plan package contains 5 files listed below:

1. Maize Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – PDF

2. Maize Farming Business Plan Comprehensive Version – WORD

3. Maize Farming Business Plan Short Bank/Grant Application Version – WORD

4. Maize Farming Business Plan Financial Statements – EXCEL

5. A Business Model Design Template – WORD

You will receive the business plan package via email and/or WhatsApp. To make the purchase, contact us first via Call/WhatsApp: +263782 594 434. WhatsApp Link: https://wa.me/message/YNZABXT73VBWF1 [Mobile users Only]

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MACHINES THAT DRIVE SUCCESS

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5 Steps to Starting a small-scale Maize Milling Business

Charl Marais | February 3, 2022

Africa's growing population means more and more demand for affordable staple foods. Small-scale maize milling is a profitable business opportunity for many entrepreneurs. Small maize milling businesses can grow into large commercial mills fast, supplying not only locally but also regionally. Once you've raised capital to invest in a small-scale milling business, you need a well-considered business plan before you can begin milling maize into profitable maize meal. Here are five tips to getting your small-scale maize milling business started:

1. FIND THE RIGHT LOCATION

Choosing your location and the type of building you will use for your maize milling business is very important. If your premises are in the wrong area or not easily accessible, your business will struggle to take off. When choosing a site, consider your basic needs like water and power, plus the size of your building and storage requirements. You may need to think about silos to store raw maize and final product. Consider your security as well, and accessibility for suppliers and deliveries. Before you mill your first batch of maize, you will need to ensure your building follows local quality and safety standards.

2. IDENTIFY YOUR SUPPLIERS

Once you have researched your market and understood what the demand is, you need to identify your suppliers. Will you grow and supply the maize, or will you buy it from other maize growers? If you plan to purchase maize from other sources, do your homework and find a reliable and sustainable supplier. Avoid unforeseen losses or misunderstandings by getting your supplier to sign a contract with you.

3. CHOOSE THE CORRECT MILLING MACHINE

Before you can begin marketing and offering a maize meal product, you need to understand what your capacity will be. Your milling machine will determine the quality and quantity of the product you will be selling. Roff has a variety of affordable, high-quality milling machines designed with the small-scale maize milling businesses in mind. Read more about our all-in-one competitively priced SP-1 milling machine at the bottom of this article.

4. REGISTER YOUR BUSINESS

You need to register your business with the relevant authority in your country before it can operate fully under the law. During this process, you will need to choose a name for your business and product.

5. MARKET AND LAUNCH YOUR PRODUCT

Understanding your consumers will determine how your product is packaged and marketed. Are you selling wholesale, or will you be retailing directly to the consumer? Do you need to advertise, or have you locked off a steady clientele in advance? Knowing this will also determine what kind of delivery transport you need and how much you should budget for it.

THE SP-1 MILLING MACHINE FOR THE SMALL-SCALE MILLING BUSINESS

Roff's SP-1 milling machine is a flexible and upgradeable micro maize milling machine designed for start-up and small maize milling entrepreneurs. However, it has everything you need to start a high-performance milling business. For more than 30 years Roff has been helping small to medium-sized milling businesses achieve success with the SP-1. During this time, we've created an easy to operate mill that produces high-quality maize meal while giving you the potential for seamless expansion as your business grows. Simplified to reduce the upfront investment costs, the SP-1 offers the highest extraction rates with the lowest overheads per ton of maize meal produced. Read more

Previous Next

SP-1 Maize Mill - 650kg to 1 ton/hour

Starting from:.

60 comments

I would like to start small scale business ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello Joseph, our sales team has been in contact via email. Please have a look. Kind Regards

I would like to start a maize mill business.how much the machine cost please ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello Dorcas, our sales team will get in contact.

i am for the qoutation for a 650 to 1000kg per hour milling machine ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello Oscar, our sales team will get in touch soon.

I am in Gauteng, like to starts small business, with small scale. Need price and advice too ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Morning Blessing, our sales team will get in contact soon. Kind Regards

i really love your advert and given e alot of hope in my aspiration to start up this business in uganda and in Kitgum District. Can you provide me with the total cost of all those packages upto installation level. i will appreciate your response into my request. ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Day, our sales team will get in touch shortly.

I am in Tanzania I need to start a small maize milling plant. ——— Roff Milling replied: Our sales team will get in contact soon.

eager to start a corn business in Ghana. how best would your Outfit be able to help me regarding the machinery to use. Thank you ——— Roff Milling replied: Our Sales Team will get in touch soon.

Am in kenya ineed to start a small milling hw can it cost ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Day, our sales team will get in touch. Regards

hello ! I m OBE from Congo and would like to open a medium milling machine, I wanted to further about it, ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Day, our sales team will get in touch via e-mail. Regards

Hi, am interested in this machine to start up a small scale maize milling business in Uganda (West Nile). May I know the total cost of this machine (complete cost with transportation and installation) ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Day, our sales team will get in touch to assist.

Hi, am interested in this machine to start up a small scale maize milling business in Uganda (West Nile). May I know the total cost of this machine (complete cost with transportation and installation) ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello, our sales team will get in touch via e-mail shortly.

hi, i am teddy and i want to start a small scale milling . how mach it cost in ethiopia? ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello Teddy, our sales team has been in contact via e-mail, please check your inbox.

am Gerald i would like to start a maize milling flour quote for me 1 ton machine thanks ——— Roff Milling replied: Hello, our sales team will get in touch shortly. Kind Regards ——— Roff Milling replied: Good Day, please refer to your e-mail inbox, our sales team has been in touch. Regards

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Resources for Students and Project Managers

Maize Farming Business

Maize Farming

TABLE OF CONTENTS of Maize farming business plan

Executive summary

==>CLICK HERE TO CHAT US ON WHATSAPP FOR BUSINESS PLANS & GET A DISCOUNT<==

– – – – – – – 1 Introduction – – – – – – – 2 2.1 Vision – – – – – – – – – 2 2.2 Mission – – – – – – – – – 2 2.3 Success factors – – – – – – – – 2 2.4 Risk factors – – – – – – – – 2 2.5 Business ownership – – – – – – – 2 2.6 Location factors – – – – – – – – 2 2.7 Available market – – – – – – – – 3 3.0 Products – – – – – – – – – 4 3.1 Costing – – – – – – – – – 4 3.2 Market demand – – – – – – – – 4 3.3 Projected demand – – – – – – – 4 4.0 Market analysis – – – – – – – – 6 4.1 Consumer/market segmentation – – – – – 6 5.0 Marketing plans – – – – – – – – 7 5.1 Promotion strategy – – – – – – – 7 5.2 Market strategy – – – – – – – – 7 5.3 Market positioning – – – – – – – 7 5.4 Sale summary – – – – – – – – 7 6.0 Technical analysis – – – – – – – – 8 6.1 Schedule of operation – – – – – – – 8 6.2 Management and Organization – – – – – – 8 6.3 Values and norms – – – – – – – – 9 7.0 Legal, environmental and social issues – – – – 10 7.1 Legal issues – – – – – – – – 10 7.2 Environmental issues – – – – – – – 10 7.3 Social issues – – – – – – – – 10 8.0 Risk analysis – – – – – – – – 11 9.0 Summary of project cost – – – – – – – 12 9.1 Fixed capital investment – – – – – – – 12 9.2 Utility and other expenses – – – – – – 12 9.3 Working capital investment – – – – – – 13 10.0 Profitability analysis – – – – – – – 14 10.1 The relevant details – – – – – – – 14 10.2 Cash flow projection – – – – – – – 14 10.3 Projected balanced sheet – – – – – – – 14 11.0 Appendix. – – – – – – – – –

PART I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY for the Maize Farming Business Plan

The following is a proposal for MAIZE FARM NIGERIA LTD in Agbor, Delta State.

This project requires N1, 000,000. N600, 000 for fixed assets and N400, 000 for working capital. The vision of this enterprise is to ensure efficient production of maize seeds in Delta State, particularly in Agbor. This venture will be located in Agbor because of easy access to the market for sale. Availability of the market for business to serve is very important. The competitive edge of the enterprise lies on the ability to produce reasonable quantity of fresh maize, poultry feed, swallow, igba oka pap, agidi and popcorn.

Financial projection for the Maize production business Plan

PART II INTRODUCTION for the Maize Farming Business Plan

The plan of this maize farm is based on the result of the assessment of Agbor town of Delta State. This assessment has pointed out the high demand of maize products in the area while there are only few maize farms available. The establishment of JANERICH 55 maize farm will go a long way to address the poor maize production in Agbor metropolis. Vision: To ensure the availability of Maize product but known to the people and new uses that is not known which will serve as snacks to the people in and out of its season. Mission: To produce very healthy maize seeds that guarantee the best of product, free of infections.

Success factors in the Maize production business plan :

Planting of maize variety that people will have taste for. Ensuring the use of fertilizers in order to foster the proliferation of large quantity products that are healthy. Existence of reliable market outlets. Availability of water supply.

Risk factors in the Maize farming business plan :

This project is likely to attract people more than the number needed. If the farm land is not permanently owned, land dispute may interrupt the success of the business.

Business ownership for the maize farming Biz plan :

This business is solely owned by Bridget Onyemenam.

Location factors: it is located in Agbor, Delta State, Nigeria. Information on the choice of location are: Nearness to the Agbor market, which create easy access of product for sale. Existence of good road. Cheap and reliable labour. The feasibility of land expansion for more products in the nearest future. Available market: It has been brought to notice that the demand figure increases every year to about 42% due to population rise. In Agbor, demands of maize consumers have been properly met by the existing suppliers of maize/maize products and this means that entrants will be attracted into the business as long as there will be expansion in the farm.

PART III PRODUCTS in the maize farming business plan / proposal

Fresh maize for direct eating (Corn either boiled or roasted). Poultry feed Popcorn Fufu Pap(akamu) Agidi

Costing: The costing of the products is built around feeding and poultry rearing. Feeding: Maize can be eaten directly after boiling or roasting. It can also be consumed in the form of pap, fufu, popcorn, and Agidi.

Poultry feed: It is a good supplement for agricultural fowls. Maize in addition to other things like crayfish, foster the growth of chickens.

Market Demand: The location of MAIZE FARM NIGERIA LTD in Agbor must extend its tentacles to the nearby markets like Abor market, Asaba main market, Igbaognogo market and even Onitsha main market. This will definitely boost the rate of demand of maize/maize products and as well the supply.

Projected Demand of maize producers in Agbor, Delta State: About 10,000 farmers/producers are needed in Lokoja yearly for the past three years. It is imperative to improve on this number since the demand for maize/maize products in Lokoja metropolis is increasing.

TO GET THE COMPLETE MAIZE FARMING BUSINESS PLAN & FEASIBILITY REPORT (INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS AND ALL) . Pay N10,000 to

GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank) Account Name – Chudi-Oji Chukwuka Account No – 0044157183

After payment text your names, your e-mail address and what you paid for to 08060565721 and you’ll receive your MAIZE PRODUCTION BUSINESS PLAN & FEASIBILITY STUDY PROPOSAL .

By BPN Staff

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This is a nice post.Thanks

Wow, great post, thanks for sharing Dayo

Please, where exactly is your Farm, Patilad Farm, located in Magboro?. I would like to visit the Farm to appreciate the impact you guys are making to the economy.

Hi Eghoaleuche, channel your request by sending a mail to [email protected] . Thanks.

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