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536 K. Adhikari, K.B. Koirala alld M. SubediTable 5. Per capita consumption offood grains, g/day, 1971-1996.Year Maize Rice Wheat Population(million)1971/72 140.0 467.0 47.7 11.51981/82 137.2 467.0 73.0 15.01991/92 175.7 468.5 111.1 18.71995/96 174.5 469.0 132.9 20.8The area, production and productivity has marginally improved over the last twenty-five years inTerai, whereas in mid and high hills area under maize has increased by 200% but productivity hasdeclined by 17%. This might have resulted due to:• Research efforts in the past concentrated mainly on accessible areas of Terai whichoccupies only 20% of the total maize area.• Decline of soil fertility in rainfed marginal hill land which occupies 80% area andunavailability of production inputs poses a serious threat for higher sustainable production.• In hills, maize production is a part of complex system with extreme environmentalvariability and hence needs a system-based approach which has been neglected in the past.• Maize yield, therefore, is far below the expectation. There is a wide gap between potentialyield of open-pollinated varieties (OPVs) having 5.0 t/ha (on-station experimental yields),attainable yield of about 3.5 tlha (on-farm yield with improved practices) and actual yieldof 1.7 t/ha (national average 1995/96) (Fig 1). Hence, it is important that new researchfocuses in alternative technological approaches to break this yield barrier.6Yield tlha5432oOn-StationOn-FarmFarmers FieldProduction environmentFigure 1Yield gap in maize