Abstract: The research of externalities compensation for regional cultivated land protection is an important step to establish compensation mechanism.In this paper,the Hunan province had divided into the deficit area,balance area,and surplus area of cultivated land based on externality theory and the actual situation of Hunan province.The differences between land compensation zoning and traditional food zoning which showed the deterioration trend of Hunan＇s cultivated land protection and the urgency of compensation have also been compared in this paper.The results provide directional guidance for regional cultivated land protection.