<Li> Loss of soil carbon </Li> <P> Overcutting of vegetation occurs when people cut forests, woodlands and shrublands--to obtain timber, fuelwood and other products--at a pace exceeding the rate of natural regrowth . This is frequent in semi-arid environments, where fuelwood shortages are often severe . </P> <P> Overgrazing is the grazing of natural pastures at stocking intensities above the livestock carrying capacity; the resulting decrease in the vegetation cover is a leading cause of wind and water erosion . It is a significant factor in Afghanistan . The growing population pressure, during 1980 - 1990, has led to decreases in the already small areas of agricultural land per person in six out of eight countries (14% for India and 21% for Pakistan). </P> <P> Population pressure also operates through other mechanisms . Improper agricultural practices, for instance, occur only under constraints such as the saturation of good lands under population pressure which leads settlers to cultivate too shallow or too steep soils, plough fallow land before it has recovered its fertility, or attempt to obtain multiple crops by irrigating unsuitable soils . </P>

Explain the reasons for land degradation in india