1) In 1600 approximately one-sixth of india 's landmass was under cultivation. Now that figure has gone upto about half [i.e 3/6] . As population increased over the years, demand for food went up.
2) Peasants extended the boundaries of cultivation, clearing forests & breaking new land.
3) In the colonial period, cultivation expanded for a variety of reasons:
* The British encouraged the production of crops like cotton, jute, sugar, etc. as the demand for these crops increased in Europe.
* The colonial state thought that forests were unproductive, the forestland had to be brought under cultivation so that land could yield revenue.
4) Between 1880 & 1920 cultivated area rose by 6.7 million hectares.
5) Large areas of natural forests were also cleared to make way for tea, coffee & rubber plantations to meet Europe 's growing need.
6) The colonial govt. took over the forests & gave vast areas to European planters at cheap rates. These areas were enclosed & cleared of forests, & planted with tea or coffee.
7) In 1850s, in the Madras Presidency alone 35,000 trees were being cut annualy for sleepers [ to fulfill the need of Railways].
