The paper shows how these differences become visible also in the engineering approaches towards no-tillage technologies and how they contribute to exponential adoption rates in some parts of the world, versus relatively low acceptance in other parts. Examples of different farming operations within Conservation Agriculture are shown and the implications for equipment design and mechanization needs are discussed. Those operations include the land preparation, planting, crop husbandry, residue management and harvest. Special consideration is given to machine traffic and compaction.