Famine is a devastating event that occurs when a population lacks access to enough food to sustain itself. It is often caused by a combination of social, economic, and political factors, but there are also physical causes that can contribute to famine. These physical causes include natural disasters, changes in climate, and soil degradation.
One physical cause of famine is natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and hurricanes. These disasters can destroy crops, infrastructure, and other resources that are necessary for the production and distribution of food. For example, a flood may wash away fields of crops or a hurricane may damage roads and buildings, making it difficult to transport food to those in need.
Climate change is another physical cause of famine. Extreme weather events, such as droughts and heatwaves, can lead to a decrease in crop yields. This is because crops need certain conditions, such as a certain amount of water and a certain temperature range, in order to grow properly. When these conditions are not met, crops may fail, leading to a shortage of food.
Soil degradation is another physical cause of famine. This occurs when the soil becomes less fertile due to overuse, erosion, or pollution. When soil is degraded, it is less able to support the growth of crops, leading to a decrease in food production. Soil degradation can also be caused by natural disasters, such as floods and earthquakes, as well as by human activities, such as overgrazing and deforestation.
In summary, physical causes of famine include natural disasters, changes in climate, and soil degradation. These causes can lead to a shortage of food, resulting in famine. It is important to address these physical causes in order to prevent or mitigate the impact of famine on communities around the world.
Famine in Somalia: causes and solutions
Social tensions People who suffer from famine may also be quite frustrated. We need more support for small-holder farmers and pastoralists e. But, we also must tackle the root causes of the problem, including conflicts around the world. But all of these factors are worsened by overfarming, overgrazing and deforestation, which often have political causes. Thus, while the top 1% can afford almost everything they want, the remaining 99% of the population will suffer from significant levels of famine since they will often not have the money to afford enough food and drinks. Hence, in those regions, farmers will often suffer from low crop yields, which in turn may translate into significant levels of famine for the local population.
Understanding causes of famines of the past may help put an end to them
More people will become displaced, more will go hungry and more will die of hunger and thirst. According to Political Geography highlights the incredible progress made in recent decades, following four historic periods of famine. Answer In many parts of the world today, food supply chains are an afterthought. Market failure Market failure Famine of 1943 of 1974 Famines of 1984-85 War or armed conflict Winter of 1944 of 1991-92 Central plan failure 1933-34 of 1959-60 Famine of 1997-98 Figure 1 Complex causal networks of selected modern famines, stratified by a dominant cause. Were we living in a world where everyone had an automatic right to the amount of food they needed to stay alive this simple explanation might be plausible. The constellation of causes and potential solutions of famine can be examined from ecological, economic, social, and public health perspectives, each offering different insights into the ecology of famine. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2009.
