What is a primary cause of famine?

The primary cause of famine is widespread starvation due to food shortages. Famine occurs when a significant portion of a population lacks access to enough food to sustain their nutritional needs. This condition can arise from various factors, such as natural disasters, war, economic instability, or poor agricultural practices, which lead to a substantial decrease in food availability.

When food shortages become prevalent, it results in malnutrition, starvation, and ultimately, high mortality rates. The link between food shortages and famine is direct; without sufficient food production and distribution, populations cannot meet their dietary requirements. This scenario underscores the importance of food security and sustainable agricultural practices to prevent famine and ensure populations have ongoing access to needed food resources.

While overproduction, increased variety, and distribution issues are all factors in food systems, they do not directly cause famine as widespread starvation resulting from food shortages does.