Famine

Famine is defined as a scarcity of food, often it is not a lack of food but a lack of resources to obtain the food. Famine is a non-communicable disease that effects LICS's. The FAO states we have enough food for everyone in the world approximately 2,700 calories a day. However 30 million people die every year from starvation and a further 800 million people suffer from chronic malnutrition.

 

Famine is caused by a mix of environmental and political factors. Environmental factors include drought often caused by a dry climate leaving extremely little or no rain. This means people can't access water to irrigate crops therefore masses of food crops die leaving people without food. For example in Ethiopia between 1984-85 rains failed affecting 43% of the population. The rains failed again in 2000. This meant livestock died as people and animals migrated to try and find water this put tons of pressure these areas causing the livestock to die. People's nutritional status began to decline as milk a main component in meals became scarce which caused food prices to rise many people could no longer afford food. Many people had to leave there homes to move to cities however they ended up in refugee camps with some such as a camp on the outskirts of Denan containing 13,000 people. Large amounts of foreign aid was needed and malnutrition rates were estimated to be over 50% many visitors say 'they are waiting to die'.

Another environmental factor would be natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, landslides, and earthquakes. For example in 2012 hurricane sandy hit Haiti leaving 1.5 million people without proper access to food and at risk of famine this is because the hurricane had destroyed 70% of yam, corn, and banana crops.

Political factors include the denial of food to locals often during times of famine food is still being deported to other countries however the people don't have the status, money, or bargaining power to access this food. Countries such as Somalia with no real government after the civil war are being controlled by terrorist groups such as al-shabab. These groups stop vital international aid in parts of famine stating the areas are fine. In the 1990's 300,000 people died because of warlords stopping food entering the area. Currently 4 million Somalians are at risk of famine, the UN doesn't know how many people have died saying it is most likely in the 10,000's mostly of which are children!

 

The consequences of famine are rife and devastating. Malnutrition is one of the most prevalent consequences of famine it is caused by a poor diet with almost no nutrition. It makes the sufferers immune system extremely weak meaning they often die from illnesses that could be prevented such as diarrhoea, anaemia, and the common cold. The life expectancy drastically decreases and quality of life is very poor as they spend the remainder of their lives in chronic pain caused by starvation. Millennium development goals aim to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger however according to the 2014 progress report areas such as sub-Saharan Africa are still suffering with 'high hunger'. Most people agree the best solution to end famine is educating farmers in areas affected cheap sustainable methods of irrigation, improved farming techniques and higher yielding value

 

Famine is an issue that affects LIC’s as they don’t have the money of government to control the spread of the disease.