Human effects on ecosystems are a big concern all over the world and it is particularly important to understand human influences on the rural and peri- urban landscape which are getting transformed because of the process of rapid urbanization. The current study was undertaken to understand the change process in peri-urban and rural landscapes and analyzed the various driving forces that are leading such changes in land use and land cover. The theoretical approach developed here is based on standard driving forces which influence the farmer's decision and behaviour. The main driving forces which influence farmers' decision are environmental resources, socio-economic resources, policies and national economy. These are widely accepted from a global to a local scale. Yet, knowledge on changes in the spatial patterns of agricultural land use, the driving factors behind these changes, and their implications within the context of sustainable development is limited in rural and peri-urban landscapes.