Famines have become far less deadly over the past century, even as they remain a major global problem. Historically, famines killed huge numbers of people when harvests failed or food was unavailable, and governments often did little to respond. Today, better transport, trade, early warning systems and social protection allow food to reach threatened areas faster. Yet conflict, economic shocks and climate disruptions still cause famine, and from 2020 to 2023 alone they caused over a million deaths. Economist Amartya Sen observed that famines have rarely occurred in functioning democracies with free media, because governments face pressure to respond. Preventing famine therefore depends as much on politics and access to food as on the amount of food grown.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.