Staplefoods in developing countries are the main sources of energy and protein in the daily diet of the general population. The available locally produced staplefoods such as rice and maize, cassava, sweet potato, tubers and sago, are the wellknown staples. However they differ in their chemical composition and nutritive value and also very importantly in their price or cost.

In the Indonesian Archipelago, at least 3 distinct regions with different consumption patterns of staplefoods are qualitatively recognized. Rice is the predominant staple, followed by maize. However the observed preference for rice over maize has caused an increase in the consumption of rice, leading to yearly imports of rice and consequently the outflow of foreign currency so much needed for other developmental capital goods.

The problem of how to make better and more efficient use of the available supply of maize but also of other food commodities as yet under-utilized in the country, will be appropriate for common deliberations during this workshop for purpose of achieving foodsystem optimization.