This article describes experiments that were conducted in two dry semi-arid areas called Melkawoba and Wulinchity, in the central Rift Valley of Ethiopia during 2003-2005. Strip tillage systems that involved cultivating planting lines at a spacing of 0.75m using the Maresha plow followed by subsoiling along the same lines (Strip Tillage Systems) and without sub soiling (ST) were compared with the traditional tillage system of 3 to 4 times plowing with the Maresha plow. Soil moisture was monitored to a depth of 1.8 m using Time Domain Reflectometer while surface runoff was measured using rectangular trough installed at the bottom of each plot.