Background The loess hilly and gully region of China is one of the regions with the most serious soil erosion in China and even in the world. The loess hilly and gully region of Inner Mongolia is an ecologically fragile and sensitive agro-pastoral ecotone. The research on the evolution of soil and water conservation technology in this area may have guiding significance in the development of soil and water conservation and the construction of beautiful China.

Methods This paper systematically studied the evolution of water and soil conservation technology in the loess hilly-gully region of Inner Mongolia in the past 70 years using a large number of first-hand historical archives. Then this paper clarified the inheritance and innovation of soil and water conservation technology in 5 historical stages: 1956-1962, 1963-1978, 1979-1985, 1986-1996, and 1997 to the present, and explored the evolution trend and driving factors of soil and water conservation technologies.

Results 1) The soil and water conservation technology was mainly composed of multiple technologies from 1956 to 1962. Water and soil conservation technology mainly focused on the construction of basic farmland from 1963 to 1978. From 1979 to 1985, comprehensive management of small watershed was the main soil and water conservation technology. From 1986 to 1996, the soil and water conservation technology was used to control gullies and build key dams. Since 1997, soil and water conservation technology has been developing in an all-round way with ecological environment construction as the main focus. 2) Water and soil conservation technology experienced a tortuous process of split after long-term integration and then integration after loug-term split. 3) Water and soil conservation technology experienced step-by-step progress from local regulations to industrial standards and then to national standards. 4) Social and human factors led to differences in the implementation quantity and focus direction of water and soil conservation technologies.

Conclusions The evolution of soil and water conservation technology in the time dimension is driven by national macro policy, the formulation of technical standard, project implementation and the establishment of supporting institutions. However, historical and cultural factors, technical personnel's cultural quality, local economy and state support strength lead to spatial differences in water and soil conservation technologies of similar natural environments. This study may provide theoretical support and scientific reference for the development of soil and water conservation technology in the hilly loess region of Inner Mongolia and similar regions in China.