<P> Food shortages in a population are caused either by a lack of food or by difficulties in food distribution ; it may be worsened by natural climate fluctuations and by extreme political conditions related to oppressive government or warfare . The conventional explanation until 1981 for the cause of famines was the Food availability decline ( FAD ) hypothesis . The assumption was that the central cause of all famines was a decline in food availability . However , FAD could not explain why only a certain section of the population such as the agricultural laborer was affected by famines while others were insulated from famines . Based on the studies of some recent famines , the decisive role of FAD has been questioned and it has been suggested that the causal mechanism for precipitating starvation includes many variables other than just decline of food availability . According to this view , famines are a result of entitlements , the theory being proposed is called the `` failure of exchange entitlements '' or FEE . A person may own various commodities that can be exchanged in a market economy for the other commodities he or she needs . The exchange can happen via trading or production or through a combination of the two . These entitlements are called trade - based or production - based entitlements . Per this proposed view , famines are precipitated due to a breakdown in the ability of the person to exchange his entitlements . An example of famines due to FEE is the inability of an agricultural laborer to exchange his primary entitlement , i.e. , labor for rice when his employment became erratic or was completely eliminated . </P>
<P> Food shortages in a population are caused either by a lack of food or by difficulties in food distribution ; it may be worsened by natural climate fluctuations and by extreme political conditions related to oppressive government or warfare . The conventional explanation until 1981 for the cause of famines was the Food availability decline ( FAD ) hypothesis . The assumption was that the central cause of all famines was a decline in food availability . However , FAD could not explain why only a certain section of the population such as the agricultural laborer was affected by famines while others were insulated from famines . Based on the studies of some recent famines , the decisive role of FAD has been questioned and it has been suggested that the causal mechanism for precipitating starvation includes many variables other than just decline of food availability . According to this view , famines are a result of entitlements , the theory being proposed is called the `` failure of exchange entitlements '' or FEE . A person may own various commodities that can be exchanged in a market economy for the other commodities he or she needs . The exchange can happen via trading or production or through a combination of the two . These entitlements are called trade - based or production - based entitlements . Per this proposed view , famines are precipitated due to a breakdown in the ability of the person to exchange his entitlements . An example of famines due to FEE is the inability of an agricultural laborer to exchange his primary entitlement , i.e. , labor for rice when his employment became erratic or was completely eliminated . </P>
what is one of the main causes for famine in the world today
what is one of the main causes for famine in the world today
a decline in food availability
a decline in food availability