What is the term for an extreme food shortage?

• A. Famine
• B. Surplus
• C. Poverty
• D. Drought

Answer: (A)

The term for an extreme food shortage is famine. A famine occurs when there is a significant decrease in the availability of food, leading to widespread malnutrition and starvation among populations. This can be caused by various factors, including natural disasters, poor agricultural practices, conflict, or economic instability, which disrupt food production and distribution.

In contrast, surplus refers to an excess of food production, which is the opposite of a shortage. Poverty is a socioeconomic condition that can lead to insufficient access to food, but it does not specifically denote a widespread shortage of food itself. Drought, while a natural condition that can lead to food shortages by affecting crop yields, specifically describes a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall rather than the resulting food crisis. Thus, famine is the most accurate term denoting an extreme food shortage.