[Objective] The characteristics of agricultural non-point source pollution load in Qinghai Province were analyzed in order to provide important references for formulating agricultural pollution control and ecological protection policies in Qinghai and other ecologically fragile areas. [Methods] Based on statistical data from Qinghai Province from 2009 to 2023,emissions of total nitrogen （TN）,total phosphorus （TP）,chemical oxygen demand （COD）,and ammonia nitrogen （NH₃-N） from crop farming,livestock and poultry breeding,and rural domestic sources were estimated using the pollutant generation and discharge coefficient-based method.Sensitivity analysis was conducted by selecting uncertain parameters.The contribution characteristics of pollution sources and pollutants were assessed using the equivalent standard pollution load method. [Results] From 2009 to 2023,the total agricultural non-point source pollution emissions in Qinghai Province showed an increasing trend,rising from 2.17×10⁵ t to 3.65×10⁵ t,an increase of 67.9%.In terms of pollutant type,COD emissions were the largest,ranging from 19.06×10⁴ t to 3.34×10⁵ t and accounting for 87.72%—91.63% of the total emissions.TN emissions ranked second,ranging from 2.23×10⁴ t to 2.52×10⁴ t and accounting for 6.91%～10.28%.Regarding the pollution source structure,livestock and poultry breeding was the primary emission source,with emissions of 1.74×10⁵—3.24×10⁵ t,contributing 80.21%—88.89% of the total emissions.Rural domestic sources ranked second,emitting 2.78×10⁴—2.95×10⁴ t and accounting for 7.71%—12.79%.Sensitivity analysis indicated that livestock and poultry breeding was the most sensitive to regional pollution load regulation,identifying it as the priority for control.The total annual equivalent standard pollution load ranged from 4.42×10¹⁰ m³ to 5.69×10¹⁰ m³.Among these,TN had the largest equivalent standard pollution load of 2.23×10¹⁰ m³ to 2.52×10¹⁰ m³,accounting for 44.30%—50.61%,making it the primary pollutant.Livestock and poultry breeding had the largest equivalent standard pollution load of 2.72×10¹⁰ m³ to 4.31×10¹⁰ m³,accounting for 61.69%—75.78%,identifying it as the dominant pollution source.Considering the equivalent standard pollution load characteristics of both pollution sources and pollutants,TN from livestock and poultry breeding constituted the largest portion of the equivalent standard pollution load at 1.17×10¹⁰ to 1.68×10¹⁰ m³,representing 26.29%—29.46% of the total. [Conclusion] Addressing agricultural non-point source pollution in Qinghai Province should prioritize the control of livestock and poultry breeding,with TN and COD identified as the key pollutants to control,so as to effectively reduce the regional agricultural pollution load and strengthen the ecological security barrier of the plateau water system.