The root cause of famine is lack of food.

Famine isn’t caused solely by drought or a bad harvest. It’s a side effect of severe poverty, often exacerbated by war. Remember: the same drought that affected Somalia during its 2011 famine was also present in neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia. Only Somalia fell into famine, because it was a warzone. Of all the countries at risk of famine right now, the one common denominator is conflict. Experience from the Horn Africa has shown that the risks of famines always drastically increases whenever severe droughts and conflicts combine. In South Sudan, a violent conflict is forcing millions of people from their homes, blocking access to humanitarian assistance, destroying their livelihoods and driving up food prices that has crippled the economy. The best solution for preventing widespread famine in South Sudan and these other countries is for armed groups to lay down their weapons and allow aid groups to access those most vulnerable with lifesaving food aid.