Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
11.2.1 Great Famine of China
The worst famine on record was the great famine of China, which occurred from 1959
to 1961.
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It is estimated that up to 40 million people died as a result of bad agricultural
practices forced on farmers. In 1955 Mao Tse-tung ordered the formation of collectives
of 100 to 300 families each. The following year grain production fell by 40 percent.
Attempting to recover the loss, the Chinese government ordered these collectives
to adopt several unproven crop production practices. They ordered planting four to
five times more seeds per hectare than normal in the belief that there would be four
to five times greater yield. Instead, the close planting caused overpopulation and
very few seedlings survived, resulting in even less grain yield.
Believing that birds ate a large amount of grain, they ordered the destruction
of birds such as the English sparrow. So many sparrows were killed that insect popu-
lations exploded, seriously damaging the remaining crops in the field.
Some officials prohibited the use of chemical fertilizers in the belief that they
poisoned the soil. This also reduced yields. Commune members were ordered to
leave up to 30 percent of their fields in fallow (without crops) with the aim of recover-
ing the natural soil fertility. The result was that around 20 percent of the cropland was
not planted, further reducing national grain production.
Officials who reported drops in grain production were fired. As a result most
officials reported large increases in grain production, and the central government
continued to export grain until 1958. Villages unable to send grain for sale were
accused of hoarding, and the army slaughtered many in retaliation. Finally in 1961
provincial governors started to abandon the practices ordered by the central govern-
ment, and farmers were able to produce enough grain to end the famine.
Estimates of the number of deaths range from 30 to 40 million people. Demogra-
phers using modern data estimate that as many as 25 percent of the dead were young
girls due to their lower social status in Chinese society.
11.2.2 Great Famine of 1315 - 1317
Some famines are caused solely by nature. An example of such a famine was the great
famine of 1315 - 1317 in Europe.
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Small, local famines were relatively common in
Medieval Europe, but the great famine affected large areas and populations. The Medi-
eval warm period saw increases in population, but declining yields per hectare of
grains, possibly due to declining soil fertility. Starting in 1315, there were cold wet
summers followed by severe winters. Grain could not ripen in the wet weather, and
livestock had no dry hay to eat in the cold winters. Even the king of England was
affected. This pattern persisted until 1317 when normal weather returned. Several
million deaths were caused.
11.2.3 Irish Potato Famine
More often, famines are caused by a combination of human and natural events. An
example is The Irish potato famine.
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Britain prohibited Irish Catholics from owning
