Both　crop　distribution　and　climate　change　are　important　drivers　for　crop　production　and　can　affect　food　security,　which　is　an　important　requirement　for　sustainable　development.　However,　their　effects　on　crop　production　are　confounded　and　warrant　detailed　investigation.　As　a　key　area　for　food　production　that　is　sensitive　to　climate　change,　the　agro-pastoral　transitional　zone　(APTZ)　plays　a　significant　role　in　regional　food　security.　To　investigate　the　respective　effects　of　crop　distribution　and　climate　change　on　crop　production,　the　well-established　GIS-based　Environmental　Policy　Integrated　Climate　(EPIC)　model　was　adopted　with　different　scenario　designs　in　this　study.　From　1980　to　2010,　the　crop　distribution　for　wheat,　maize,　and　rice　witnessed　a　dramatic　change　due　to　agricultural　policy　adjustments　and　ecological　engineering-related　construction　in　the　APTZ.　At　the　same　time,　notable　climate　change　was　observed.　The　simulation　results　indicated　that　the　climate　change　had　a　positive　impact　on　the　crop　production　of　wheat,　maize,　and　rice,　while　the　crop　distribution　change　led　to　an　increase　in　the　production　of　maize　and　rice,　but　a　decrease　in　the　wheat　production.　Comparatively,　crop　distribution　change　had　a　larger　impact　on　wheat　(–1.71　×　10　6　t)　and　maize　(8.53　×　10　6　t)　production,　whereas　climate　change　exerted　a　greater　effect　on　rice　production　(0.58　×　10　6　t),　during　the　period　from　1980　to　2010　in　the　APTZ.　This　study　is　helpful　to　understand　the　mechanism　of　the　effects　of　crop　distribution　and　climate　change　on　crop　production,　and　aid　policy　makers　in　reducing　the　threat　of　future　food　insecurity.　©　2017,　Higher　Education　Press　and　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany.