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Rainfall variability poses a great challenge to rainfed cropping in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated, over three cropping seasons, conservation agriculture (reduced tillage and mulching) and farmer prioritized conventional tillage- and mulching-based options on seasonal soil water retention, and subsequent productivity of maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp L.) in mono- and inter-crops in Eastern Zimbabwe. The experiments were established on sand and clay soils. The first cropping season (2014/15) received evenly distributed rainfall (hereinafter referred to as ‘wetter’), while the two succeeding seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17) had high incidences of intra-seasonal dry spells (hereinafter referred to as ‘drier’). Overall, conventional tillage had 10–31% and 27–40% more moisture than conservation agriculture treatments on sand and clay soils, respectively. Soil moisture was most retained in …