A Systematic Framework for Improving the Performance of Sustainable Winter Wheat Production Technologies: Case Studies from Two Villages

Improving crop yields while reducing environmental impacts remains a major challenge for smallholder agriculture, where heterogeneous management practices often limit the performance of technologies. This study developed a Select–Analyze–Design–Evaluate (SADE) framework to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable winter wheat technologies in smallholder farming systems. The framework was implemented in two villages on the North China Plain during a four-year field-based study (2017–2021), combining farmer follow-up surveys with field trials. During the Select stage, baseline data identified widely adopted technologies with substantial performance variability. Accordingly, delayed nitrogen application in Nanxia Village and precision seeding in Wangzhuang Village were selected as priority technologies for targeted diagnosis and improvement. During the Analyze stage, regression models identified key agronomic constraints: nutrient management in Nanxia, and sowing date and nitrogen management in Wangzhuang. Following this diagnosis, village-specific strategies were designed, implemented, and evaluated through multi-stakeholder collaboration. In Nanxia, yield, benefit–cost ratio, and nitrogen recovery efficiency increased by 7.9%, 21.5%, and 23.5%, respectively, while greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 21.5%. In Wangzhuang, the corresponding changes were 11.2%, 48.7%, 45.7%, and −22.9%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that SADE offers a practical pathway for sustainable smallholder agriculture.