［Objective］ The study conducted a full life cycle carbon budget assessment and zoning of grain production in the Gansu section of the Yellow River basin to provide scientific support for regional grain security and ecological conservation. ［Methods］ This study focused on the Gansu section of the Yellow River basin. Based on multi-period data from 2000 to 2022， a carbon balance framework for the entire grain production cycle was constructed. The IPCC carbon conversion coefficient method， life cycle method， and empirical formula method were comprehensively used to measure the carbon budget level of grain production， reveal its spatiotemporal evolution patterns， and divide the carbon balance zones using a combination of dynamic and static methods. ［Results］ ① Carbon emissions from grain production in the study area showed a trend of ‘first increasing and then decreasing’， with 2015 as the turning point. The overall carbon sequestration exhibited a rising trend. ② In terms of temporal evolution， the dynamic balance level showed a trend of ‘first decreasing and then increasing’， and significantly improved after 2015. In terms of spatial pattern， the static balance level varied greatly across regions， with more than 90% of the regions achieving static balance by 2022. ③ The carbon balance zoning showed a distribution pattern of ‘high in the west and low in the east’. Since 2015， the dominant trend has been a favorable transition from imbalance to balance. ［Conclusion］ The overall carbon balance of grain production in the basin shows a positive trend of improvement， reflecting the gradual improvement of regional governance. To further improve the carbon balance of grain production， it is still necessary to develop differentiated green production strategies.