the broader entitlements approach proposed by dreze and sen does not specify a particular cause of famine just a framework that identifies it as a w idespread failure of entitlements for a substantial part of the population the causes are diverse including droughts floods general inflationary pressure sharp recessionary loss of employment war and can occur even without a decline in food output or availability per head food production is not only a source of food supply but for large sections of the population it is also the main source of livelihood