Maize

Maize (called corn in some countries) is Zea mays, a member of the grass family Poaceae. It is a cereal grain which was first grown by people in ancient Central America. It is now the third most important cereal crop in the world. However, little of this maize is eaten directly by humans.
Maize is the most important cereal crop in sub-Saharan Africa. In South Africa, maize is known as 'mielie', and it was introduced to the country in the 1500s. Since then it has come to count for a big part of Africa's cereal crop, as well as a staple food for those living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Maize is increasingly used as a feedstock for the production of ethanol fuel. Ethanol is mixed with gasoline to decrease the amount of pollutants emitted when used to fuel motor vehicles. High fuel prices in mid-2007 led to higher demand for ethanol, which in turn lead to higher prices paid to farmers for maize. This led to the 2007 harvest being one of the most profitable maize crops in modern history for farmers. Because of the relationship between fuel and maize, prices paid for the crop now tend to track the price of oil.