Famine

This entry first reviews operational definitions of famine, then tracks the shifting geography of famine over time, from Asia and Europe to sub‐Saharan Africa. The analysis of causes of famine is dominated by two sets of factors: bad weather and bad politics. Theoretical approaches add demography, economics, and human geography to environmental and political explanations, illustrating the complexity of famine processes. In the twenty‐first century, famines have already occurred in Ethiopia, Malawi, Niger, and Somalia, all triggered by a combination of weather shocks and conflict. Despite being more preventable than at any time in history, famines are likely to persist in the future, unless stronger accountability mechanisms are introduced that increase incentives to prevent them.