[Objective] The aim of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal variation of sediment load in the Ganjiang River basinand, and to explore the contribution of climate change and human activities to basin sediment changes quantitatively. It was provided important guiding significance for soil erosion control，water and sediment resource governance. [Methods] Collected data of 1960 to 2020 at 15 main hydrological observation stations located in upper, middle and lower reaches of the Ganjiang River Basin. The spatial and temporal changes of sediment load were analyzed by the linear trend method，Mann－Kendall trend test and Pettitt mutation test，and the double mass curve was used to quantitatively analyze the contribution of influencing factors. [Results] The results showed that：（1）Annual sediment load in upper, middle and lower reaches of the Ganjiang River Basin showed a significant decreasing trend from 1960 to 2020（|Z|>2.58）. The reduction rate of Waizhou，Xiajiang and four stops stations of upper reaches were 2.143×105ｔ/a，1.661×105t/a，0.812×105t/a，and the sediment transport sequence underwent mutations in 1994，1992 and 1998 respectively.（2）The multi-year average sediment transport modulus of the sub-basins were high in the south and low in the north，and the temporal variation showed increasing first and then decreasing in the upper reaches and decreasing in the middle and lower reaches. Compared with 1960-1987, the average sediment transport modulus in the upper, middle and lower reaches decreased by 51.32%, 104.95% and 105.03% respectively from 2001 to 2020. （3）The temporal and spatial variation of sediment load in the basin were affected by topography, soil and water conservation measures, etc. Human activities were the leading factor in the reduction of sediment transport in the Ganjiang River Basin. [Conclusion] The sediment production from erosion in the Ganjiang River basin has significantly reduced, but the upstream is still the key area for soil erosion control in the future.