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No-till planting basins are promoted using seed and fertiliser inputs as incentives for their widespread uptake in Zimbabwe. The short term effects of planting basins on crop yields and labour requirements were evaluated in an on-farm experiment over two seasons (2009/2010 and 2010/2011) in Murehwa district, Zimbabwe. The experiment was established on clay (Luvisols) and sandy soils (Lixisols), in two field types; outfields (degraded) and homefields (better managed fields). Fields closest to homesteads (homefields) typically receive most nutrients and preferential management, and are more fertile than outlying fields (outfields), with implications for crop production and nutrient use efficiencies. The fertiliser sub-treatments consisted of (a) no fertiliser (control), (b) 60 kg N + 3 t manure ha⁻¹, (c) 60 kg N ha⁻¹ + 10 kg P ha⁻¹ (SSP) and (d) 60 kg N ha⁻¹ + 20 kg P ha⁻¹ (SSP). In addition, a socio-economic survey …