Which of the following was a result of Mao's policies during the Great Leap Forward?

The Great Leap Forward, which took place from 1958 to 1962, was a campaign initiated by Mao Zedong aimed at rapidly transforming China's economy from agrarian to industrial. One of the significant results of these policies was indeed widespread famine, which stemmed from several factors.

The emphasis on collective farming and the establishment of people's communes led to a drastic decline in agricultural productivity. Additionally, unrealistic production goals were set, and the promotion of small-scale, backyard steel production diverted labor away from essential agricultural tasks. As a result, the combination of poor planning, mismanagement, and a lack of proper agricultural practices led to a severe famine, causing millions of deaths across the country.

This catastrophic outcome starkly highlights the failure of Mao's policies during this period, contrasting significantly with any notion of increased productivity or successful industrialization outcomes. The consequences of the Great Leap Forward reinforced the need for more pragmatic economic approaches in subsequent years.