The Famine Times were a period of time immediately after the death of Leto Atreides II, just before The Scattering. The Famine Times were a result of Leto's Peace, whereby all populations were planet bound. Following Leto's death, the peoples of the Imperium fell into famine, since they had come to rely on Leto's Empire for all things. These times were characterised by the cannibalism of machinery and the plundering of natural resources. An example of this was the partial deforestation of the planet Gammu of its Pilingitam trees.