Famine was a solved problem three hundred years ago in peacetime Europe.  The challenge isn't growing food.  The challenge is making sure thugs with guns don't take it between the place where it is produced and the place where it is consumed.  (It matters little to this analysis whether the thugs with guns are cops or robbers, since if you live in a country with famine they are probably only distinguishable by the color of their uniforms, if that.)