Factors Affecting the Severity of Famine (SL IB Geography)

• Famine is the result of an extreme lack of food
• Famine can cause extreme malnutrition, starvation and even death 
• Numerous factors affect the severity of a famine

Global pattern of hunger in 2020

Governance

• Some governments do not prioritise food supply in their country, resulting in a higher risk of famine
  • In Liberia, soils are perfect for agricultural production. However, there is very little access to tools and resources, so more food is imported at a higher price
  • If people can’t afford food, this results in a Food Entitlement Deficit (FED)
  • In other countries, famine would most likely not occur, as food is produced in excess e.g. in more developed countries
• Conflict and corruption can severely impact food security:
  • If corruption exists in a country, there is very little focus on economic development and providing citizens with food
  • Conflict can cause displacement; many people become refugees and have food access restrictions
  • Corrupt governments may also misuse foreign aid
  • People may have to spend their vital income on food bribes, as there is less food to go around
  • Food may be weaponised in a conflict, limiting people’s access
  • Conflicts can damage crops and kill livestock, reducing food availability 
  • If food availability goes down, this results in a Food Availability Deficit (FAD)
• How governments deal with famine also impacts the severity
  • The Great Famine of 1845 (potato famine) in Ireland resulted from potato blight
  • The British government exacerbated the famine 
    • Britain sent in grain as food support, but Ireland didn’t have enough infrastructure to process the grain
    • Poor and starving people were forced out of their homes by their British landlords as they couldn’t afford rent 
    • Exports to the rest of Britain, of meat and other high-quality food products continued throughout the famine 

Power of the media 

• Media campaigns can make people more aware of a famine situation in another country e.g. the news
• Images of famine-stricken areas can often play with people’s emotions
• This means that people are more likely to donate money
• With the rise of social media, this is even more prevalent 
• Celebrities support fundraising campaigns e.g. Live Aid concerts to raise money for the famine in Ethiopia 
• Media campaigns may cover up the root cause of the issue, manipulating viewers and donors 
• Continuous media barrages may cause compassion fatigue 

Aid availability

• Other countries send food aid or funding to support food shortages after conflicts or disasters 
• Governments or non-government organisations (NGOs) and charities donate money
• Aid may be provided but under certain conditions
• This results in an uneven power complex
• Countries become dependent on aid, making it difficult for future development
• With food aid, food supplies will naturally increase in the country
• This lifts people out of food insecurity
• Increased food supplies cause local food prices to go down, impacting local producers
• Farmers may also be less inclined to produce food
• Food aid may be stopped if it is handled incorrectly
• USAID and the World Food Programme sent food aid to Tigray in Ethiopia in 2023
• Food was being mishandled, diverted and stolen
• This resulted in a Food Pause, causing even more deaths

Population

• The global population is growing, resulting in the need for more food
• If the population grows in an area at risk of food shortages, this could increase the risks of famine 
• More land is used for housing instead of food production 
• Thomas Malthus, an economist and demographic theorist, stated that:

 ‘Famine will be inevitable as the population rises because food production simply cannot keep up’ 

• Although there have been many arguments against Malthusian Theory, many of Malthus’ ideas seem to make sense in less developed nations

Poverty

• In areas already facing extreme poverty, famine severity may be high
• Famers may not have access to technology to support agricultural production
• They rely on more traditional methods, which may not be productive
• Countries may export more of their food, whilst not being able to afford to import food, resulting in food shortages
• Countries may have poor-quality transport infrastructure to distribute food 

Physical characteristics  

• Climate can impact how severe a famine may be
• In places with warmer climates, drought is more likely to occur
• Climate change may bring more severe droughts and reduced rainfall
• This can impact the success of crop yields 
• Droughts that last a long time also create a higher risk of famine
• How the land is used could also impact famine
• Some land is converted for non-food crops e.g. food for animals or biofuels 
• This reduces the amount of land available for food growth, possibly causing or exacerbating existing famine 
• Natural disasters like hurricanes, flooding or earthquakes can damage crops, causing severe famine