Severe food shortage (6)
I believe the answer is:
famine
'severe food shortage' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for famine that I've seen before include "Severe food scarcity" , "Extreme scarcity of food" , "Widespread scarcity of food" , "Hunger" , "A great shortage as of food" .)