Famine Victims Crowd Somali Capital

Famine sending desperate families streaming into Mogadishu.

Why Somali Islamists Stop People Fleeing the Famine

The Islamist group is blocking aid apparently because it’s seen as coming from “infidels.”

Images of Famine in the Media

A look at the changing role of visual imagery of famine in the media.

Somalia: The World’s Worst Famine in a Generation

Despite an announcement from al-Shabaab, the Islamic militant group is still blocking foreign aid agencies.

No Metaphors – China Miéville’s Imagined Language

In the latest World in Words podcast, a science fiction writer conceives of a language in which is impossible to lie.

Famine Returns to Somalia

The UN declares a famine in the southern Somalia region as it suffers its worst drought in 50 years.

What Makes This A Famine

Only last week food security experts were reluctant to call the situation in East Africa a famine.

What Constitutes a Famine?

Why scientists and people in the food aid world disagree on labeling the food crisis in East Africa as ‘famine?’

Korea’s rice harvest

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Famine in North Korea may have killed up to 2 million people during the 1990s. Now aid groups warn that the reclusive nation is facing another severe food shortage. Meanwhile South Korean farmers can’t sell all the rice they’re growing and that’s led to a price hike. Some say there’s one solution that would solve the problems of both Koreas. Reporter Jason Strother has more from Andong, 150 miles south of Seoul. Download MP3 (Photo:Jason Strother)

• In pictures: Life in poverty-stricken North Korea
• North Korea’s Kim visits China

Ethiopia asks for urgent food aid

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The Ethiopian government has asked the international community for emergency food aid for 6.2 million people. The request came at a meeting of donors to discuss the impact of a prolonged drought affecting parts of East Africa. BBC correspondent Mike Wooldridge witnessed Ethiopia’s famine in the 80s. Now he’s back, Marco Werman talks with him. Download MP3

• BBC coverage

African famines examined

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Famines often occur during times of drought, but their causes go much deeper than a lack of rain. With East Africa now facing widespread hunger, we look back at a major food crisis that struck the Western African nation of Niger in 2005. Reporter David Hecht examines the roots of that crisis and finds some of them stretching across Niger’s border, to the neighboring country of Nigeria. Download MP3

• 2005 Niger food crisis
• Niger country profile

Norman Borlaug’s life and legacy

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Lester Brown, head of the Earth Policy Institute, about the life and career of the late Norman Borlaug. Borlaug was an agricultural scientist whose work developing high-yield crops helped prevent famine in the developing world. That earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. He died this past weekend.