FAMINE-AFFECTED POPULATIONS
Definition and Causes
Famine has been defined as "a condition of populations in which a substantial
increase in deaths is associated with inadequate food consumption" (6).
Famine does not necessarily arise solely from problems of food production.
Natural disasters (e.g., drought or crop infestations) may act as triggers,
but lack of sufficient food for consumption may be due to economic collapse
and loss of purchasing power in some sections of the population, (i.e., the
Indian famine of 1972). In early 1992, efforts to assess the impact of sudden
economic changes in the republics of the former Soviet Union have focused on
income and food price indicators. In Russia, elderly pensioners were
identified as a vulnerable group among whom the income-to-food cost ratio was
estimated to be 1:2 in mid-January (7). Other causes of famine have included
disruption of food production and marketing by armed conflict (i.e., Biafra
in 1968, Sudan in 1988, and Somalia in 1991) and widespread civil
disturbances (i.e., Zaire in 1991).
Famine is usually caused by the amplification of a pre-existing condition
characterized by widespread poverty, intractable debt, underemployment, and
high malnutrition prevalence. Under these conditions, a large percentage of
the population may routinely experience starvation. When additional burdens
related to the production or availability of food arise, generalized
starvation occurs rapidly. In recent years, frequent crop failures in
Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, and the Sahelian countries of Africa have been
attributed to progressive deterioration of the environment, including
deforestation, desertification, and poor agricultural practices.
Populations experiencing famine may or may not displace themselves in order
to improve food availability. Initially, male family members may migrate to
cities or neighboring countries to seek employment. During a full-scale
famine, whole families and villages may flee to other regions or countries in
a desperate search for food. In most of the major population displacements of
the past 20 years, however, people have been forced to flee because of fear
for their physical security caused by war or civil strife. Famine in the
absence of violence has generated few of the world's refugees.
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