In years past, corn was a staple crop for many regions across the archipelago. In East Java, corn was consumed for generations. Ground corn was also on menu for the peoples of Southeast Sulawesi, Gorontalo and North Sulawesi and East Nusa Tenggara. Today, the crop is making a comeback, part of an effort to reduce dietary dependency on rice. "The more people know of its nutrients, the faster they will shift to corn," said Hasil Sembiring, director-