Privacy Policy

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 AgriLink ZA ("we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and other applicable laws. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect the information you provide when using our mobile application and website.

1. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal and usage data:
- Account details: name, email address, password, profile information, and optional profile photo.
- Location data: approximate or precise GPS location for job posting, contractor matching, or service listings.
- Payment details: transactions processed through Paystack (we do not store full card data).
- Communications: chat messages, posts, or other user-generated content.
- Device and usage data: including IP address, device identifiers, and activity logs for analytics and security.

2. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to:
- Create and manage your account.
- Display and match jobs, services, and contractors.
- Enable communication between users.
- Process payments and subscriptions via Paystack.
- Improve our services through analytics, testing, and troubleshooting.
- Enforce our Terms of Use and prevent fraud or abuse.
- Comply with legal obligations.

3. Sharing of Information
We do not sell your personal data. We may share limited data only when necessary:
- With service providers such as Firebase, Google services, analytics, and Paystack, to operate and support the platform.
- With law enforcement or authorities when required by law, court order, or legal process.
- With other users, only what you choose to share publicly (for example, name, profile, listings, and contact information you include in your posts or profile).

4. Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored securely in Google Firebase and related services. We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures such as encryption, access controls, and monitoring to prevent unauthorised access, loss, or misuse.

However, no system is completely secure. You understand and agree that you use the platform at your own risk, and we cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

5. Your Rights (POPIA)
Under POPIA, you may have the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
- Ask us to correct, update, or delete your personal information where it is inaccurate or no longer needed.
- Object to or restrict certain processing of your personal information.
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on your consent (this may limit some app features).

You can exercise these rights by contacting us at:
Email: info@agrilinkza.com

We may require proof of identity before responding to certain requests.

6. Retention of Information
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to:
- Provide and operate the AgriLink ZA services.
- Comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations.
- Resolve disputes and enforce our agreements.

When your information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.

7. Third-Party Services
Our app uses external services, including but not limited to:
- Google Firebase and other Google services.
- Paystack for payments and subscriptions.
- Analytics, crash reporting, and other tools that help us operate and improve the app.

These providers handle your information according to their own privacy policies. We encourage you to review their policies directly on their websites.

8. International Data Transfers
Your information may be stored or processed on servers located outside South Africa. Where this occurs, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer complies with POPIA and that your information is protected by appropriate safeguards.

9. Responsibility to Verify Legitimacy
AgriLink ZA is a platform that connects farmers, contractors, and service providers. We do not independently verify every user, job, or service.

It is your responsibility to:
- Carefully check that other users, jobs, and services are legitimate before engaging with them or making payments.
- Use your own judgment and due diligence when dealing with other users.
- Report suspicious, fraudulent, or abusive behaviour through any in-app reporting or support channels we provide.

By using AgriLink ZA, you acknowledge and agree that:
- You are responsible for verifying that everything is legitimate before proceeding with any arrangement.
- AgriLink ZA is not responsible for losses, damages, or disputes arising from user-to-user interactions, including jobs, services, payments, or agreements made outside the app.

10. Children’s Privacy
AgriLink ZA is not intended for children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take appropriate steps.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or app features. The most current version will always be available in the app and on our website, and will be identified by the "Last Updated" date at the top.

Your continued use of AgriLink ZA after changes are made means you accept the updated Privacy Policy.

12. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal information, please contact us at:

AgriLink ZA
Email: info@agrilinkza.com
South Africa, Free State