Near Quito, Ecuador, corn fields tower over fences. The crop is everywhere, from small plots in residential areas to bigger fields along the road. Soft maize is a popular crop grown in Ecuador. The crop can grow up to six meters tall, according to Jose Zambrano Mendoza, a senior researcher at the National Institute for Agricultural Research. A good yield in the highlands is three to four tons/hectare, if farmers apply the correct inputs. Listen to the story.