Grace matures earlier than traditional maize varieties and can be eaten as green maize. This makes a vital difference in the economic and social well-being of small farmer families. In subsistence agriculture, time between plantings and harvests is a precarious period. Food supply on farms is at the lowest right before harvest causing a 'hunger gap' to the extent that many families may only be able to eat one meal a day. Zm521was specifically bred to yield more under drought and low soil fertility conditions.
Many maize growing environments in southern Africa are drought-prone and crop failures are common.
Farmers are hesitant to use costly fertilizers because the returns are not guaranteed. Maize is the dominant staple food in southern Africa. Per capita consumption in the region surpasses 100 kilograms. Originally, maize was a crop for colonial settlers in eastern and southern Africa. By the 1930s, it became a critical food and cash crop for poor farmers.