[Objective] Significances of ecological agriculture in ecological conservation and high-quality agricultural development on the Loess Plateau were discussed, and the developing ways of ecological agriculture were studied, in order to provide scientific and technological support for green development and ecological civilization construction in this region. [Methods] On the basis of a large number of actual investigations and researches, we used various forms of literature to analyze the role of ecological agriculture in ecological conservation and high-quality agricultural development on the Loess Plateau mainly from the perspective of the ecosystem. [Results] Since the 21st century, the ecological environment on the Loess Plateau has been improved significantly, but there were low comprehensive agricultural productivity capacity, degradation of soil quality, and serious agricultural nonpoint source pollution. The market demand of ecological agriculture was not clear. Meanwhil, the development lacked large-scale production conditions. Although there were many patterns of ecological agriculture, the construction of efficient, intensive and green development technology system were relatively backward. It is necessary to set up a national key research and development project of ecological agriculture, establish diversified investment mechanisms based on market demand, construct a number of pilot demonstration counties of ecological agriculture and build a multi-lateral cooperation ecological agriculture training mode to enhance and reconstruct the support system of modern ecological agriculture. [Conclusion] Ecological agriculture is an effective way to collaborate ecological conservation and high-quality agricultural development on the Loess Plateau. In the future, we should comprehensively strengthen the construction strength of ecological agriculture, formulate a road map for the development of ecological agriculture, and constantly improve the level of ecological civilization of the Loess Plateau, so as to provide important support for accelerating the formation of ecological conservation and high-quality agricultural development pattern on the Loess Plateau.