Which of the following best describes a shortage of food?

A shortage of food is best described as famine. Famine refers to an extreme scarcity of food that can lead to widespread hunger, malnutrition, and starvation among a population. It signifies a significant decline in the availability of food to sustain the population's needs, often due to factors such as natural disasters, economic instability, or conflict.

In contrast, overproduction indicates a situation where supply exceeds demand, which does not align with the concept of a shortage. Cultivation relates to the process of growing crops and does not pertain directly to food scarcity. Fertility usually refers to the ability of land to produce crops or the capacity of organisms to reproduce, and while it can influence food production, it does not directly describe a shortage of food. Thus, famine is the most accurate descriptor of a food shortage.