Famine Intensity and Magnitude Scales: A Proposal for an Instrumental Definition of Famine

ABSTRACT

Ambiguities in current usage of the term 'famine' have had tragic implications for response and accountability in a number of recent food crises. This paper proposes a new approach to defining famine based on the use of intensity and magnitude scales, where 'intensity' refers to the severity of the crisis at a given location and point in time, while 'magnitude' describes the aggregate impact of a crisis. The scales perform three operations on 'famine': first, moving from a binary conception of 'famine/no famine' to a graduated, multi-level definition; second, disaggregating the dimensions of intensity and magnitude; and third, assigning harmonised 'objective' criteria in place of subjective, case-by-case judgements. If adopted, the famine scales should contribute to more effective and proportionate responses, as well as greater accountability in future food crises.