The word famine is used to describe a time when there is not enough food for a great number of people, causing illness and death.
(But seemingly there are now criteria that have to be met before the word famine can be used. According to the UN a famine is declared when acute malnutrition rates among children exceed 30 per cent, more than two people per every 10,000 die per day, and people are not able to access food and other basic necessities. Chilling, isn’t it?)