Step 1: Understand the core idea. Land degradation means the soil loses its fertility and productivity because of both natural processes and human activity. Step 2: Explain deforestation and mining. Cutting down forests removes the roots that hold soil together, leaving it open to erosion, while mining strips the topsoil and leaves large tracts unfit for farming, as seen in states like Jharkhand and Odisha. Step 3: Explain overgrazing and over-irrigation. Overgrazing in arid regions like Rajasthan strips away the protective grass cover, and excessive irrigation in Punjab and Haryana raises the water table and causes salt to build up on the surface. So deforestation, mining and overgrazing, along with over-irrigation, are the main factors behind land degradation.
