Methodology
The project uses a decision-focused methodology. It prioritises relevance, practicality, evidence quality and decision usefulness over academic completeness.
The method began with a Granite Borders starting scope and has now been re-scoped to the New England Landcare Network member-organisation footprint before the next secondary research update.
Research Phases
| Phase | Purpose | Current status |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Scoping | Define the questions, scope, methodology, assumptions and information gaps. | Complete; re-scoped to NELN member organisations |
| 2. Secondary Research | Collect and classify evidence from government, academic and industry sources. | Underway |
| 3. Primary Research | Collect evidence through grower, processor, buyer, exporter and expert interviews. | Not commenced |
| 4. Strategic Analysis | Apply PESTLE, Porter's Five Forces, SWOT and synthesis. | Interim Phase 2 analysis only |
| 5. Business Case | Prepare the executive summary, findings, risks, opportunities and recommendations. | Not commenced |
Evidence Approach
| Principle | Practical meaning |
|---|---|
| Evidence before opinion | Prefer measured data, published research, government statistics, market evidence and transaction evidence. |
| Challenge assumptions | Do not assume hemp is viable, sustainable, profitable, beneficial or unsuitable. |
| Compare against alternatives | Environmental and economic claims must be tested against realistic regional land uses. |
| Identify trade-offs | Record benefits, costs, risks, limitations and uncertainties for major claims. |
| Keep decisions in view | Prioritise evidence that helps answer the business case questions. |
Evidence Register Requirements
All significant claims should be traceable to evidence and classified by:
| Field | Why it is recorded |
|---|---|
| Source type and publication date | To understand credibility and currency. |
| Geography | To distinguish member-area, comparable and background evidence. |
| Product category | To avoid treating hemp as one market or one production system. |
| Relevance | To show which decision question the evidence supports. |
| Evidence strength and confidence | To separate strong findings from uncertain or preliminary claims. |
| Follow-up required | To identify what must be checked through later secondary or primary research. |
Current Status
Phase 1 is complete and has been re-scoped. Phase 2 is approved and underway. Primary research and final business-case conclusions have not commenced.