Throughout the Egyptian history of the III–II millennium BC, most written mentions
of famines occur from the First Intermediate Period to the early Middle Kingdom, and there are
substantial grounds to suppose that this period was actually marked with more frequent famines.
The article points out a number of reasons for this and describes why food security was restored
in the XIIth Dynasty era.
The newest data proves the deterioration of ecological conditions during this time period,
to which arable farming was unable to adapt after the collapse of the Old Kingdom legal and
economic system. For the “private farms” that are mentioned in the First Intermediate Period
inscriptions, it was often difficult to formalize their rights to fertile lands and to concentrate seed
grain, livestock and workers there as fast as it was necessary. In the absence of an established grain
market and in the conditions when violence and robbery prevailed, even strong households often
avoided expanding their plowing. Flow of workers to other sectors of economy and depopulation
of Middle Egypt were also detrimental to the arable farming.
Of great historical interest is the latest reference to those famines – the autobiography of
Amenhotep, the Beni Hasan nomarch. The famines were relieved not only by general environmental
improvement, but also by the restoration of peace and order in the country, and above all the
implementation of state economic regulation, including spreading and support of arable farming.
Even in the times of crop failures, it preserved tillage wherever possible and quickly re-introduced
it to the lands with restored fertility.