Conservation agriculture (CA) is heralded as a means to increase yields and reverse land degradation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Low adoption levels have led to a polarized debate about the merits of conservation agriculture with critics questioning the suitability of the technology and proponents calling for increased and better promotion. Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, this study examines the determinants of adoption of hand-hoe and oxen-draw minimum tillage in Eastern Zambia and the motivations for farmers’ decisions to implement or reject the technologies.