Minimum tillage has been promoted for about two decades as a way to conserve soils and increase
agricultural productivity in Zambia and sub-Saharan Africa. However, the extent of its uptake by
smallholder farmers remains debatable. This paper assesses factors influencing uptake and uptake
intensity of minimum tillage using large household survey data for the period 2010 – 2014 in Zambia.
We apply double hurdle models to account for corner solution outcomes resulting from limited uptake
of minimum tillage. Less than 5% and 10% of smallholders used minimum tillage per year as the main
tillage method at national level and in the top 10 districts with highest use rates, respectively. Low
seasonal rainfall and being in districts where minimum tillage has been promoted for over 10 years
increase the likelihood of minimum tillage uptake and uptake-intensity, but not for all its components.
These results have implications for targeting future minimum tillage promotion programs.