Famine - Introduction
Famine is an extreme and prolonged state of hunger in a considerable proportion of masses of a country or a region that results in widespread and acute malnutrition and death by starvation or diseases due to the inadequacy of food and nutrition. Famine in a literal sense indicates extreme inadequacy and the scarcity of food and nutrition. It is a phenomenon that occurs in a vast terrestrial area due to different environmental and biological reasons. Famines may range from a few weeks to a few years in a community. The major factors that lead to famine in today’s world are population imbalance, lack of rainfall causing scarcity of freshwater, crop failure, government policies, and so on.
Conditions Leading to Famine
Famines are lurking in the community from olden times. Even in ancient times as a result of war or epidemic masses have faced famine and bore the consequences of it. It has affected populations across the world. Many famines in history have precipitated from natural causes like drought flooding, unseasonable cold, typhoons, Cyclones, vermin depredations, insect infestations, and plant diseases. However, some famines were a result of social causes like population explosion leading to food shortages that extended into malnutrition, starvation, and widespread diseases, feudal social systems, etc.
Characteristics of a Famine
A Famine is characterized by the following factors:
Severe food shortage triggered causes like conflict, drought, crop failure, demographic disequilibrium, governmental policies, and so on.
Widespread death due to diseases, starvation, and scarcity of food.
Malnutrition and other deficiency diseases plague a huge amount of the population.
Crop failure led to a nationwide scarcity of food.
Poverty with various social disorganization consequences include overcrowding, the break-up of hygiene, escalated vermin, failure to bury the deceased, and unregulated population growth and/or camp advancement that support the occurrence of epidemics and diseases.
Famines in India
India is a developing nation with its economy and population majorly dependent on agriculture. Although various advancements in the field of agriculture have improved its quality it is still primarily dependent on climatic conditions. For example- Rain during summer is crucial for the process of irrigation in agriculture. Lack of rainfall leads to a lack of proper irrigation and the failure of crops. Thus, these consequences lead to famines. Many such conditions like lack of rainfall or drought had led to several famines in India 11th to 17th Century. The most severely recorded famines in India are as follows:
The famine of 1943 in Bengal.
The famine of 1783 in Chalisa.
The famine of 1770 in Great Bengal.
Skull Famine of 1791.
The famine of 1866 in Orissa.
The famine of 1630 in Deccan.
The famine of 1873 in Deccan.
The famine of 1837 in Agra.
Widespread scarcity of food was caused as a result of these great famines. This also led to many deaths across the country. The most serious of all these famines was the famine of 1770 in Great Bengal that caused around 10 million deaths, the skull famine of 1791 caused about 11 million deaths and the Chalisa famine of 1783 also caused 11 million deaths on average.
Causes of Famines
The occurrence of famines mainly was recorded to be caused as a result of natural causes that include the after-effects of flood, cyclone, storms, or droughts due to scarcity of rainfall, earthquake, leading to crop failure and agricultural degradation. floods and earthquakes destroy crops or food storage places resulting in scarcity of food and thus leading to famine.
Human Intervention
The man-made causes of famine include lack of food due to inefficient agricultural processes, resulting in crop failure. Or, no proper storage of crops that lead to large-scale loss of harvested crops or infestation by rodents.
It is also caused by the improper distribution of food in some of the regions.
Contamination of water bodies or air hampers crop production and may also make it impossible for crops to grow in such regions.
FAQs on Famine - Causes and Effects
1. What is a famine?
A famine is a widespread and severe shortage of food in a region, leading to mass starvation, malnutrition, and a significant increase in death rates. It is not just about a lack of food, but a situation where a large number of people do not have access to enough food to survive. Famines can be triggered by natural disasters, war, or failed government policies.
2. What are the main causes of a famine?
Famines are usually caused by a combination of factors. The main causes can be grouped as follows:
- Natural Causes: These include prolonged droughts, severe floods, or widespread crop diseases and pest attacks that destroy harvests.
- Man-made Causes: These include wars and civil conflicts that disrupt farming and food distribution, poor economic policies, and unequal food distribution systems.
- Population Imbalance: This happens when a region's population grows much faster than its ability to produce food.
3. What are the major effects of a famine on a population?
The effects of famine are devastating and wide-ranging. The most immediate effect is widespread starvation and malnutrition. This leads to severe health problems, including a higher risk of infectious diseases like cholera and dysentery due to weakened immune systems. Other effects include mass migration of people in search of food, social breakdown, and a sharp increase in mortality, especially among children and the elderly.
4. How does a drought differ from a famine?
A drought is a natural event defined by a long period of abnormally low rainfall, which leads to a water shortage. A famine, on the other hand, is a severe shortage of food. While a drought can cause a famine by leading to widespread crop failure, it doesn't always have to. A famine can also be caused by other factors like war, even without a drought. The key difference is that a drought is a lack of water, while a famine is a lack of access to food.
5. What is the connection between famine and the spread of diseases?
The connection is very direct. During a famine, severe malnutrition weakens the body's immune system, making people highly vulnerable to infections. Diseases like cholera and dysentery spread rapidly in famine-stricken areas due to contaminated water and poor sanitation. Additionally, conditions like anaemia, caused by a lack of iron and other nutrients, become widespread, leading to severe weakness and fatigue.
6. Why can a famine occur even if a country has enough food?
This highlights a critical aspect of famines. They are often a problem of food access, not just food availability. A famine can happen even if national food supplies are adequate if large parts of the population cannot afford to buy food or if the distribution system fails. Factors like extreme poverty, war, political corruption, or poor transport infrastructure can prevent food from reaching those who need it most, creating a famine amidst plenty.
7. How can modern technology help in preventing or managing famines?
Modern technology plays a crucial role in famine prevention. Satellite imagery and advanced weather forecasting can predict droughts and potential crop failures early on, allowing for timely intervention. Genetically modified crops can be developed to be more resistant to pests and droughts. Furthermore, improved transportation and communication networks ensure that food aid and resources can be delivered quickly and efficiently to affected areas.
8. What are the long-term impacts of famine on the environment?
The long-term environmental impacts of a famine can be severe. In a struggle for survival, people may resort to unsustainable practices. This can include cutting down forests for firewood or farmland, and overgrazing land with livestock. These actions lead to deforestation, soil erosion, and desertification, which damage the land's productivity and can increase the risk of future famines, creating a vicious cycle.
