What this definition does not adequately convey is that famine is the endpoint of a lengthy process in which people in increasing numbers lose their access to food.
Most famines have long gestation periods, typically covering two or more crop seasons.
Because the descent into famine is slow, early detection is possible. Because it is also typically shrouded in ambiguity, early detection is rarely definitive and seldom produces early response. Herein lies a dilemma that continues to plague famine early warning systems. Moreover, famine entails more than a severe shortage of food and grotesque distortions of normal food prices. Landless laborers, artisans, and traders are among those most vulnerable to famine because of shrinking demand for their labor, goods, and services.