Abstract: The sustainable utilization of farmland resources in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is crucial for China's food security strategy. This study evaluated farmland utilization efficiency and ecosystem services in the region from 2010 to 2020, via employing an evaluation index system, a coupled coordination model, and the Dagum Gini coefficient. The coupling coordination and regional disparities were explore. This study also employed a spatial Durbin model and Shapley value decomposition to quantify regional differences. The findings revealed that: (1)Coupling coordination for 2010 to 2020 was higher in upstream than in downstream, showing a consistent basin-wide increase, with faster growth in the downstream. (2)The Dagum Gini coefficient exhibited an overall decreasing trend in coupling coordination, reducing intra-regional disparities within the upstream, middle, and downstream regions, while inter-regional disparities expanded. (3)The spatial Durbin model analysis highlighted the adverse direct effects of industrial upgrading and government fiscal expenditures on coupling coordination, and the indirect effects of per capita income and urbanization, along with a positive impact from vegetation coverage. (4)Shapley value decomposition identified that per capita income and vegetation coverage were the primary contributors to regional differences in coupling coordination, with a steadily growing influence, while the urbanization's contribution remained relatively stable.