A)Mid-Altitude Region (Kasungu, Lilongwe and Mchinji

Supplementary Table 1: CA based cropping systems tested in Malawi and Mozambique over four seasons (2010/11-2013/14

1. Note: CA basins were used in Chiphole community while CA dibble stick system was used for these treatments in Kabango community.

Supplementary Table 2: Regression coefficients from yield stability analysis under different cropping systems in the (a) mid-altitude region, (b) central and north-western Mozambique (2010/11-2013/14).

(a)mid-altitude region (Kasungu, Lilongwe and Mchinji)

(b) central and north western regions of Mozambique

1. central region (Sussundenga and Gorongosa)

1. north western region (Kabango and Chiphole)

N.B. Means in the same column followed by different superscript letters are significantly different at p<0.05.

List of SupplementaryFigures

Supplementary Figure 1: Location of SIMLESA study sites in Malawi and Mozambique.

Supplementary Figure 2: Measured mean seasonal site rainfall for the four agro-ecological regions of Malawi and Mozambique over four cropping seasons from 2010/11-2013/14.

NB: Each bar represents a mean of 6 farmers in each district and season

Supplementary Figure3: Mean maize yields over four cropping seasons in Mozambique’s central region in two districts of Gorongosa and Sussundenga.

NB: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for comparing means within each district.

Supplementary Figure4: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in Mozambique’s central region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.

N.B: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different at p<0.05.

Supplementary Figure5: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in Mozambique’s Angonia district region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.

N.B: Error bars denote lsd(0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different at p<0.05

Supplementary Figure6: Comparisons of relative advantages of different conservation agriculture cropping systems against conventional farmer practices over four cropping seasons in four agro-ecologies of (a) Malawi mid-altitude agroecology (Lilongwe, Mchinji and Kasungu districts) (b) Malawi lowlands (Balaka, Ntcheu and Salima districts) (c) Mozambique central region (Sussundenga and Gorongosa districts) and (d) Mozambique north western region (Angonia district).

N.B: Data points above the 1:1 line suggest a relative advantage of the respective CA cropping system while those above the 1:2 indicate CA yields that were more than double those of the respective conventional farmer practice

Supplementary Figure 1: Location of SIMLESA study sites in Malawi and Mozambique.

Supplementary Figure 2: Measured mean seasonal site rainfall for the four agro-ecological regions of Malawi and Mozambique over four cropping seasons from 2010/11-2013/14.

NB: Each bar and respective error bars represents a mean and standard error of the mean of 6 farmers in each district and season.

Supplementary Figure3: Mean maize yields over four cropping seasons in Mozambique’s central region in two districts of Gorongosa and Sussundenga.

N.B: Error bars denote l.s.d (0.05) for comparing means within a district (site) and same letters above each bar within a district denote no significant differences at p<0.05.

Supplementary Figure4: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in Mozambique’s central region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.

N.B: Error bars denote lsd (0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different at p<0.05.

Supplementary Figure5: Linear regressions of cropping system maize yields against Site and Season mean in Mozambique’s Angonia district region sites from 2010/11 to 2013/14.

N.B: Error bars denote lsd (0.05) for separation of means from each site and season. Labels for each site show season and total rainfall in mm. Treatment regression equations followed by the same superscript letter are not significantly different at p<0.05.

Supplementary Figure6: Comparisons of relative advantages of different conservation agriculture cropping systems against conventional farmer practices over four cropping seasons in four agro-ecologies of (a) Malawi mid-altitude agro-ecology (Lilongwe, Mchinji and Kasungu districts), (b) Malawi lowlands (Balaka, Ntcheu and Salima districts), (c) Mozambique central region (Sussundenga and Gorongosa districts) and (d) Mozambique north western region (Angonia district).

N.B: Data points above the 1:1 line suggest a relative advantage of the respective CA cropping system while those above the 1:2 indicate CA yields that were more than double those of the respective conventional farmer practice.