• News
    • Latest news
    • News search
    • Health
    • Finance
    • Food
    • Career news
    • Content series
    • Try Devex Pro
  • Jobs
    • Job search
    • Post a job
    • Employer search
    • CV Writing
    • Upcoming career events
    • Try Career Account
  • Funding
    • Funding search
    • Funding news
  • Talent
    • Candidate search
    • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Events
    • Upcoming and past events
    • Partner on an event
  • Post a job
  • About
      • About us
      • Membership
      • Newsletters
      • Advertising partnerships
      • Devex Talent Solutions
      • Contact us
Join DevexSign in
Join DevexSign in

News

  • Latest news
  • News search
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Food
  • Career news
  • Content series
  • Try Devex Pro

Jobs

  • Job search
  • Post a job
  • Employer search
  • CV Writing
  • Upcoming career events
  • Try Career Account

Funding

  • Funding search
  • Funding news

Talent

  • Candidate search
  • Devex Talent Solutions

Events

  • Upcoming and past events
  • Partner on an event
Post a job

About

  • About us
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising partnerships
  • Devex Talent Solutions
  • Contact us
  • My Devex
  • Update my profile % complete
  • Account & privacy settings
  • My saved jobs
  • Manage newsletters
  • Support
  • Sign out
Latest newsNews searchHealthFinanceFoodCareer newsContent seriesTry Devex Pro
    • News
    • Food Systems

    DevExplains: How is a famine declared?

    Inside the IPC process to declare a famine.

    By Teresa Welsh // 21 December 2022

    The word famine conjures horrible images of emaciated children with extended bellies and ribs visible through their chests as they struggle to breathe. And many thousands get to that state before famine is even declared. To actually declare a famine there is an extremely technical process used by the international community, with particular conditions of food insecurity that need to be met. Here we’ll explore what a famine is, how one is declared, and what that means.

    Famine is the most severe form of a food crisis, and is declared when several specific criteria are met:

    • 20% of a population suffers from extreme food shortages

    This article is free to read - just register or sign in

    Access news, newsletters, events and more.

    Join usSign in

    More reading:

    ► Exclusive: Russia, China foiled UN meetings on Tigray famine, says Lowcock

    ► Mark Lowcock: Ethiopian government blocked Tigray famine declaration

    ► Somali official: Blanket famine declaration could ‘throw a wrench’ in programs

    • Agriculture & Rural Development
    • Trade & Policy
    • Global Health
    • Research
    Printing articles to share with others is a breach of our terms and conditions and copyright policy. Please use the sharing options on the left side of the article. Devex Pro members may share up to 10 articles per month using the Pro share tool ( ).

    About the author

    • Teresa Welsh

      Teresa Welshtmawelsh

      Teresa Welsh is a Senior Reporter at Devex. She has reported from more than 10 countries and is currently based in Washington, D.C. Her coverage focuses on Latin America; U.S. foreign assistance policy; fragile states; food systems and nutrition; and refugees and migration. Prior to joining Devex, Teresa worked at McClatchy's Washington Bureau and covered foreign affairs for U.S. News and World Report. She was a reporter in Colombia, where she previously lived teaching English. Teresa earned bachelor of arts degrees in journalism and Latin American studies from the University of Wisconsin.

    Search for articles

    Related Stories

    Food SystemsAfter decades of progress, USAID cuts could blind the world to famine

    After decades of progress, USAID cuts could blind the world to famine

    TechnologyAs famine data dries up, can AI step in?

    As famine data dries up, can AI step in?

    Food SystemsFamine stalks Gaza as Israel blocks aid at the border

    Famine stalks Gaza as Israel blocks aid at the border

    Food SystemsFEWS NET, once USAID’s flagship famine warning system, is back online

    FEWS NET, once USAID’s flagship famine warning system, is back online

    Most Read

    • 1
      Opinion: How climate philanthropy can solve its innovation challenge
    • 2
      The legal case threatening to upend philanthropy's DEI efforts
    • 3
      Why most of the UK's aid budget rise cannot be spent on frontline aid
    • 4
      How is China's foreign aid changing?
    • 5
      2024 US foreign affairs funding bill a 'slow-motion gut punch'
    • News
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Talent
    • Events

    Devex is the media platform for the global development community.

    A social enterprise, we connect and inform over 1.3 million development, health, humanitarian, and sustainability professionals through news, business intelligence, and funding & career opportunities so you can do more good for more people. We invite you to join us.

    • About us
    • Membership
    • Newsletters
    • Advertising partnerships
    • Devex Talent Solutions
    • Post a job
    • Careers at Devex
    • Contact us
    © Copyright 2000 - 2025 Devex|User Agreement|Privacy Statement