00:00 This section of the podcast is not relevant to the topic of famines.

04:55 A famine is defined as a shortage of food or purchasing power that leads to excess mortality from starvation or hunger-induced diseases, with specific characteristics including a daily death rate above one per 10,000 people, a proportion of wasted children above 20%, and the prevalence of extreme malnutrition due to protein deficiency.

10:03 Food security is defined as all people having physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life, and famine in the modern era is largely caused by government factors rather than natural factors.

15:07 Famines can be caused by the diversion of cropland for energy production, leading to increased food prices and people unable to afford food, resulting in starvation and death, particularly affecting the elderly and young, as malnutrition weakens the immune system and makes individuals more susceptible to disease.

20:34 Climate change is threatening the global food supply, with rising temperatures and severe weather causing a potential 2% cut in crop harvest each decade, leading to famine.

25:21 During the Great Leap Forward in China, officials exaggerated crop yields and took the crops to urban centers, resulting in a man-made famine that caused the death of at least 15 million people, but is still considered taboo to talk about in China today.

30:19 The 1983-85 famine in Ethiopia, which was the focus of Band Aid and Live Aid, was actually a man-made famine caused by the government's destruction of croplands and food supplies during a secret civil war.

35:26 Under autocratic rule, the people have no voice or power to change the government, as confirmed by a report from Human Rights Watch, which has led to the ongoing suppression and disregard for the lives of the people in Ethiopia.

40:52 During the Irish famine, the British government allowed the export of grain and livestock from Ireland, exacerbating the food shortage, while also implementing policies that further marginalized and impoverished the Irish people.

45:55 The Irish famine caused a significant decrease in population, with about a million people dying from starvation and another two million emigrating as a result, leading to a population that was barely half of what it was before the famine.

50:55 Famines in Yemen, South Sudan, and Somalia are caused by a combination of conflict and weather-related factors, and individuals are encouraged to support aid groups to make a difference.