Famine : understanding the causes and consequences

Hunger affects around 645 million people all over the world.¹ Today, 1 in 11 people does not have access to adequate food in terms of quantity and quality, even though we have the means and resources to feed every single adult and child in the world.

When this situation persists and affects a whole country’s population, this is a famine: a critical situation that leads to the death of thousands of people.

Though it is rare, populations in certain countries are currently on the brink of famine.

World hunger and famine are caused by various closely linked factors that fuel each other. Conflict, food crises, inequality and repeated natural disasters all increase the risk of famine.

Defining famine

What is famine? What is the difference between famine and hunger?

Famine is a state of serious food shortage where a significant portion of the population of a country has no access to food for a prolonged period, leading to death among the populations concerned. (FAO definition of famine)

Famine is therefore a reality and a humanitarian crisis that must be urgently tackled, as it puts lives in immediate danger. Hunger is more of a chronic situation that affects a large proportion of the population, who cannot fulfil their nutritional needs.

How is famine quantified? 

International bodies have established a set of food insecurity alert levels known as the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification), which range from 1 to 5. This classification is based on defined criteria that determine the severity of food insecurity in a region of the world in order to attract international attention to certain critical situations and promote action.

What are the most serious levels of food insecurity?

Alert level 4 corresponds to an emergency. At this level, action must be taken urgently to save lives and livelihoods and reduce food insecurity in the region. At level 4, households have great difficulty feeding themselves for a period (generally, the period between the end of the reserves of the last harvest and the first harvest of the new season). These food gaps are often filled by survival strategies. Households change their food habits, eat what they can find, or ration their food. Malnutrition and mortality rates increase at this level, compared to the usual situation.

Level 5, meanwhile, corresponds to a famine, where urgent action must be taken to reduce mortality and prevent a total collapse of livelihoods. At this alert level, households suffer from an extreme lack of food and access to other basic services. Malnutrition and mortality rates are extremely high.

For a famine to be declared in a country or a region, the following three conditions must be fulfilled, according to the IPC: 

1. At least 20% of the population affected categorised as level 5.
2. At least 30% of children suffering from acute malnutrition.
3. 2 in 10,000 people or 4 in 10,000 children dying of hunger. 

Famine carries political connotations. Once the IPC’s national technical working group has identified a famine, it is up to the governmental authorities and the UN to declare it.

Some countries refuse to declare a famine on their soil so as not to attract attention to what is happening in the country and to any governance problems. 

Meanwhile, the word ‘famine’ is sometimes used excessively by certain parties in order to attract media attention and funding for a crisis, even if it does not fulfil all the criteria to be officially deemed a famine. 

What can cause famine?

Conflict remains the main cause of food insecurity in the world, followed by economic shocks and climate imbalance.

Historic cases of famine

Over the course of history, famine has struck populations across the world. It is often linked to conflict, epidemics, inadequate economic or agricultural policies, or simply poor harvests.

Europe and the great Irish Famine

The Irish Famine was the worst humanitarian catastrophe of the 1800s. This is an astounding fact given that it occurred when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, which was the richest and most powerful country in the world at that time. A micro-organism called phytophthora infestans was imported from South America in the hold of merchant ships and spread late blight, a cryptogamic disease that attacks potatoes. Late blight, or potato blight, was the trigger of the Great Famine in Ireland between 1845 and 1851, but it is not the only reason behind the sheer magnitude of the catastrophe. In Ireland, a third of the rural population lived in extreme poverty and survived almost exclusively on potatoes, a highly nourishing tuber and yet the cheapest food around. The British land tenure system encouraged transformations in the use of land that pushed the working classes towards an extremely fragile life of subsistence farming.

Furthermore, liberal public policies – characterised by economic laissez-faire tendencies – hampered the response to the crisis. Though corn was imported, public jobs were created, soup kitchens were funded and legislation on the poor was modified, several political choices rendered this assistance insufficient, especially after the change in government in 1846.

While the population was starving in Ireland, large amounts of food continued to be exported, particularly to Great Britain.  The total number of excess deaths is estimated to be around half a million. The Great Famine also caused a mass exodus: at least 1.25 million Irish citizens left the country, mainly heading to North America and Great Britain.

All of this explains the famous quote from Irish nationalist John Mitchel: ‘God sent the blight, but the English created the Famine.’ This statement expresses a political interpretation of the catastrophe, rather than a simple historiographical consensus. Contemporary historical studies reveal a more complex reality while largely deeming the British response deeply insufficient.

The famine in Ethiopia in 1984

The history of Ethiopia is blighted by famines all the way back to the ninth century. The country’s economy is based on agriculture; today, over 70% of the population work in this sector. But due to climate change, Ethiopia and its inhabitants are increasingly threatened by and vulnerable to extreme climate events, like droughts. A failing main industry wreaks havoc on the whole country.

In Ethiopia, the worst famine of the twenty-first century struck in 1984, and photos of the catastrophe travelled around the world. The outcome was just as serious as that of the Irish Famine, if not more. A million people died and over 2.5 million were displaced, either within the country or to neighbouring countries.

The famine in North Korea in 1995

The figures from the famine that hit North Korea from 1995 onwards are much disputed. In the absence of solid data, the mortality statistics can vary greatly. At the time, the foreign press regularly quoted dreadful figures: 3 million deaths, or 10% of the population. This total would make the famine in North Korea the most devastating in history in relative terms. Recent studies point to a demographic toll of between 0.6 and 1 million victims, counting both excess deaths and ‘lost’ births. Mass delivery of international food aid enabled the regime to limit the extent of the famine.

The origin of this crisis was the exceptional precipitation seen in June 1995, with almost 600 mm of rain in 10 days. Two fifths of rice paddies were damaged, and the worst affected region – in the west of the country – lost more than half of its crops. The consequences of these heavy rains were even more severe due to the mass deforestation that had taken place since the 1960s, which increased the country’s vulnerability to climate events.  They were followed by the exodus of around half a million people from the worst hit regions. Successive poor harvests, the economic management of the crisis, corruption and the end of the Soviet Union – upon which North Korea’s economy was highly dependent – are all reasons for the devastating consequences of the torrential rains.

The famine in Somalia in 2011

In 2011, Somalia was struck by a devastating famine caused by a combination of factors. The drought the country was experiencing, the most severe in 60 years, destroyed crops and decimated livestock, leaving populations without food resources. Armed conflicts aggravated the situation, making it extremely difficult for humanitarian aid to reach the population.

The consequences were stark: around 490,000 people suffered from famine. 

The famine in South Sudan in 2017

The 2017 famine in South Sudan was triggered by a series of complex factors. Political instability and the civil war that had been ravaging the country since 2013 exacerbated the situation. As well as displacing millions of people, the conflict destroyed agricultural infrastructure, thus rendering any food production difficult.

Tough climate conditions, including droughts, also played a crucial role. All of these elements led to serious food shortages. In total, 100,000 people experienced famine. 

Which countries are most affected by famine today?

Over the course of more than 40 years of fighting against hunger, we have been and continue to be there to respond to many crises that are often forgotten by the media.

The war in Yemen (2014–present)

In countries like Yemen, shaken by endless conflict, our activity is all the more crucial. War is depriving the civilian population of access to food, drinking water and medical care. This combined with population displacement due to the conflict, the effects of climate imbalance and the country’s economic collapse have put Yemen on the verge of famine. If no joint international action is taken, huge numbers of people could starve, especially children.

Today, four districts in the governorates of Amran, Al Hodeidah and Hajjah are categorised at phase 5 of the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification).

We are working tirelessly on our advocacy activity and in the field, particularly to improve access to water, which is currently too limited to fulfil the needs of the entire population. The UN has warned of the seriousness and urgency of the situation several times, calling it the worst humanitarian crisis we face today.

Repeated crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also in danger; a series of crises causing population movement and violence has put the inhabitants of the Kasai region – and, more recently, the Ituri Province – in a critical situation in terms of health and nutrition. In 2018, we deployed an emergency operation in Kasai to assist populations on the brink of famine who no longer had access to food or means of production. Some 400,000 people, most of whom were children under 5, were in a state of serious food insecurity and needed humanitarian aid to survive.

In DRC, the food situation mainly sits between phases IPC 3 (crisis) and IPC 4 (emergency), with some 28 million people facing acute food security. The most critical levels are concentrated in the east of the country, where conflict and displacement have exacerbated the situation, while other areas have stayed at the crisis phase. The situation is particularly worrying in the east, in the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika, where 10.2 million people are at phase 3 or worse.

Conflict and the resulting displacement keep populations in a precarious situation characterised by serious food insecurity.

The famine in North Darfur, Sudan (2024–present)

Sudan has been facing an unprecedented food crisis, exacerbated by the war that started in April 2023. The escalating conflict and humanitarian crisis have led to an extraordinary deterioration in food security in the area. The situation has worsened due to long-term conflict, restricted access to markets and basic services, destruction of agricultural areas, significant inflation and rising food prices.

The ongoing conflict and limited humanitarian access have brought about famine in certain displaced persons camps, especially in North Darfur and particularly in the Zamzam Camp, which provides shelter to almost half a million people.

Since the start of the conflict in April 2023 and up to June 2024, Action Against Hunger Sudan helped 1,102,790 people in 4 states and 11 towns.

The data published today by the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) confirms that two more areas in North Darfur State, Um Baru and Kernoi, have exceeded the famine threshold (phase 5, the IPC’s most severe category).

The famine in Gaza

The risk of famine remains high across the Gaza Strip as the conflict there continues and humanitarian access is restricted.  Around 96% of the population of the Gaza Strip – 2.15 million people – faces high levels of acute food insecurity.  

The situation across the region is categorised as an emergency (IPC phase 4), while more than 495,000 people face catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity (IPC phase 5). In this phase, households experience extreme food shortages and famine, and their survival capacity is low.  

Action Against Hunger works in situations of extreme insecurity in order to continue to provide humanitarian assistance by distributing food, hot meals, cleaning services, water via trucks, solid waste management, hygiene kits and shelters. 

How can we solve the problem of famine?

Despite the urgency of the situation and the persistence of climate change, poverty, war and inequality, there are ways to fight hunger. 

We develop integrated programmed focusing on nutrition, mental health and psychosocial support, food security and livelihoods, and access to water, sanitation and hygiene in order to respond to the causes and consequences of hunger. This global approach helps us to take action to prevent disease, combat malnutrition and strengthen populations’ resilience.

Adaptation strategies in the countries where we operate 

Food insecurity reaches alarming levels in Lebanon

In Lebanon, intensified violence has led to the displacement of many families, who are forced to flee their homes and live in precarious conditions. Despite the ceasefire, the humanitarian situation remains critical, with many suffering from limited access to food, water and essential services.

According to IPC analyses, around 24% of the population is in a situation of acute food insecurity, and the impact on children is particularly worrying. Deprived of stable living conditions, they are more exposed to malnutrition and its consequences on their health and development.

To combat this situation, Action Against Hunger is adapting its interventions to fulfil the needs of displaced populations by combining food aid, nutritional support and access to essential services, in order to protect the most vulnerable.

Famine risk fuelled by drought and displacement in Somalia

In Somalia, a series of insufficient rainy seasons has decimated crops and livestock, destroying the livelihoods of millions. This situation, aggravated by conflict and population displacement, exposes the communities most at risk of famine.

Action Against Hunger is taking action by providing water, emergency food aid and nutritional programmes, while supporting particularly vulnerable displaced populations. The goal is to respond to immediate needs and to limit the collapse of livelihoods.

Community health agents at the heart of malnutrition detection efforts in Syria

In Syria, problems with accessing health care structures make a decentralised approach crucial. Community health agents, trained and supported by Action Against Hunger, take direct action in communities to detect malnutrition in children.

Thanks to their proximity to families, they provide regular monitoring, raise awareness of best nutritional practices and quickly refer cases to medical centres. This system means malnutrition cases can be detected early, as in the case of Rima and Shaimaa, and any deterioration can be avoided.

Medical centres on the front line against malnutrition in Yemen

In Yemen, the nutritional crisis is having a particularly severe impact on children, who are suffering from high rates of acute malnutrition. In this context, medical centres supported by Action Against Hunger play an essential role in detection and treatment.

We implement structured programmes that include consultation, distribution of ready-to-use therapeutic foods, and medical monitoring. In parallel, we strengthen health care staff’s ability to improve treatment for the long term, in a health care system rendered fragile by years of conflict.

The fight against hunger must therefore be fought with a multisectoral response. This what we have been doing for more than 45 years now in our bid to come together to try to build a world without hunger, by developing adaptation strategies in the countries where we operate.

In collaboration with our field teams, we carry out advocacy and mobilisation work with governments and states. These are the entities with the power to implement ambitious policies to combat hunger for good.

Thanks to all of this work, we were able to support more than 21 million people in 52 countries in 2025.

For many, the threat of famine is a reality.

We want to do more. And we can do more, but only with your help.