This study highlights the impact of technological innovation in maize production in traditional maize growing states, viz. Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh and its impact on productivity, farm income and livelihood security. Although the impact of improved technologies has been very promising, the adoption of such technologies by the majority of farmers in the region has been low. Hybrid cultivars yield more than 4 tons per hectare as opposed to less than 2.5 tons per hectare for traditional cultivars during the Kharif (rainy) season. Similarly, during the Rabi (winter) season, yield from hybrids is about 6 tons per hectare and around 4 tons per hectare from composite cultivars. Furthermore, the cost per unit of output has declined by 22 to 43 per cent with hybrid cultivars, making maize more profitable than competing crops like paddy and wheat, and has considerably boosted the income of the farmers. The low adoption of these technologies is primarily due to lukewarm policy support and poor infrastructure, particularly market services in the traditional maize growing regions. Though the region contributes large quantities of maize to total production, districts lack value addition facilities. Greater emphasis on developing such facilities bolstered with technological improvements in maize production would result in vast improvements in productivity as well as farmer income and thereby enhance livelihood security