This report is intended for development practitioners, extensionists and leaders or pioneers in farming communities, to inform them about the experiences and initiatives of farming communities in conservation agriculture in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. On the basis of several local initiatives, inventions and developments, there have been widespread improvements in soil management in various parts of the State, resulting in lower costs and improved returns, combined with conservation and improvement of the soil resources. The main elements of success were minimum tillage, soil cover management and direct seeding practices and equipment, together with an effective and creative extension service. While these developments probably cannot be duplicated as such elsewhere, the methods and strategies may well inspire others to adapt and modify them for application in their own environments.