Privacy | The Farmers | Africa's Farmers Network

Privacy Policy

The Farmers (Pty) Ltd

Effective Date: 4 August 2026
Last Updated: 4 August 2026
Version: 1.0

1. INTRODUCTION

The Farmers (Pty) Ltd ("we," "our," "us," or "the Company") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website at https://thefarmers.co.za (the "Website"), use our mobile applications, or engage with our services (collectively, the "Platform").

This Policy is designed to comply with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (Act No. 4 of 2013) ("POPIA"), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, 2002 (Act No. 25 of 2002) ("ECTA"), and other applicable South African data protection legislation.

By using our Platform and services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the processing of your personal information as described herein. If you do not agree with this Policy, please do not use our Platform.

2. DEFINITIONS

In this Privacy Policy, unless the context indicates otherwise:

Term	Definition
"Company," "we," "our," "us"	The Farmers (Pty) Ltd, a company registered in South Africa.
"Data Subject"	The person to whom personal information relates.
"Information Officer"	The person designated by the Company to oversee POPIA compliance.
"Operator"	A third party that processes personal information on behalf of the Company.
"Personal Information"	Has the meaning given in POPIA, including any information relating to an identifiable, living natural person, and where applicable, an identifiable juristic person.
"Platform"	The Farmers' website, mobile applications, and all associated services.
"Processing"	Any operation or activity concerning personal information, including collection, storage, use, disclosure, and deletion.
"Responsible Party"	The Company, as the entity that determines the purpose and means of processing personal information.
"User," "you," "your"	Any individual or entity accessing or using our Platform.

3. INFORMATION OFFICER

We have designated an Information Officer to oversee compliance with POPIA and this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your personal information, please contact our Information Officer:

Information Officer: Sphiwe Dube
Email: ben@thefarmers.co.za
Phone: +27 069 340 2828
Postal Address: [Insert Physical Address]

4. WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, as well as information automatically collected through your use of the Platform.

4.1 Information You Provide to Us

Category	Examples
Account Registration	Full name, email address, phone number, physical address, username, password.
Profile Information	Profile picture, biography, farming details, business registration number, VAT number.
Identity Verification	Copy of ID document, passport, proof of address, business registration documents (for KYC purposes).
Transaction Information	Banking details, payment card information, purchase history, sales records, Wallet transactions.
Marketplace Listings	Product descriptions, pricing, photographs, location data, delivery details.
Communications	Messages sent through our Platform, support inquiries, feedback, survey responses.
Content Contributions	Forum posts, comments, reviews, articles, guides, videos, and other user-generated content.
AI Service Inputs	Queries, prompts, and documents submitted to our AI tools.
Affiliate and Creator Information	Payout details, tax information, content performance data.

4.2 Information Automatically Collected

Category	Examples	Purpose
Device Information	IP address, browser type, operating system, device model, screen resolution.	To optimise Platform performance and ensure compatibility.
Usage Data	Pages viewed, time spent, clicks, search queries, navigation patterns, feature usage.	To improve user experience and understand how the Platform is used.
Location Data	Approximate location derived from IP address (or precise location if you grant permission).	To provide regionally relevant content (e.g., local market listings, weather, agricultural advice).
Cookies and Tracking	Session cookies, persistent cookies, web beacons, pixel tags.	To remember preferences, analyse usage, and serve relevant content. See our Cookie Policy for details.
Referral Information	Source of visit (e.g., search engine, social media, affiliate link).	To understand marketing effectiveness and improve outreach.

5. HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We process your personal information for the following purposes, which are lawful under POPIA:

Purpose	Lawful Basis	Examples
Providing Services	Performance of a contract	Creating and managing your Account, facilitating Marketplace transactions, processing payments, enabling communications, delivering AI Services.
Verification and Security	Legitimate interest / Legal obligation	KYC verification, fraud prevention, account security, identity checks.
Platform Improvement	Legitimate interest	Analysing usage data, testing new features, improving user experience, optimising content recommendations.
Customer Support	Performance of a contract / Legitimate interest	Responding to inquiries, resolving disputes, providing technical assistance.
Marketing and Communications	Consent (where required) / Legitimate interest	Sending newsletters, promotional offers, platform updates, and event notifications. You may opt out at any time.
AI Model Improvement	Legitimate interest	Using de-identified inputs and outputs to train and improve our AI Services. See Section 10 below.
Legal Compliance	Legal obligation	Retaining records required by law (tax, financial, regulatory), responding to legal requests, enforcing our Terms.
Affiliate and Creator Payouts	Performance of a contract	Calculating commissions, processing payments, issuing tax documentation.

6. LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING (POPIA COMPLIANCE)

Under POPIA, we rely on the following lawful bases for processing your personal information:

Basis	When It Applies
Consent	You have given clear, informed, and voluntary consent for specific processing activities (e.g., marketing communications, precise location tracking). You may withdraw consent at any time.
Performance of a Contract	Processing is necessary to fulfil our agreement with you (e.g., creating your Account, processing a Marketplace transaction, delivering AI Services).
Legal Obligation	Processing is required to comply with South African law (e.g., tax reporting, anti-money laundering regulations).
Legitimate Interest	Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, provided such interests do not override your privacy rights. Legitimate interests include fraud prevention, platform security, analytics, and service improvement.
Protection of Vital Interests	Processing is necessary to protect someone's life or physical safety (e.g., emergency situations).

7. SHARING YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

7.1 Service Providers (Operators)

We engage third-party service providers who process personal information on our behalf. These Operators are contractually bound to protect your information and comply with POPIA:

Service Provider Type	Examples
Payment Processors	PayFast, Yoco, Ozow, or other payment gateways.
Hosting and Infrastructure	Cloud hosting providers, database services.
AI Service Providers	OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, or other AI API providers.
Email and Communication	Email delivery services, SMS providers, push notification services.
Analytics	Google Analytics, or similar analytics providers.
Verification Services	Identity verification and fraud detection services.

7.2 Marketplace Transactions

When you engage in a Marketplace transaction, certain information (such as your name, contact details, and delivery address) may be shared with the other party to facilitate the transaction. This sharing is necessary for the performance of the contract.

7.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required by law, regulation, or legal process, including to respond to a court order, subpoena, or government request.

7.4 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you before your information becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

7.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties for other purposes only with your explicit consent.

8. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and analyse Platform usage. For detailed information, please see our separate Cookie Policy available at [Insert URL] .

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

Type	Purpose
Essential Cookies	Necessary for Platform functionality (e.g., logging in, shopping cart, secure transactions).
Performance Cookies	Collect data on how you use the Platform to improve performance.
Functional Cookies	Remember your preferences and settings.
Marketing Cookies	Track your activity to serve relevant advertisements (only with your consent).

8.2 Your Control Over Cookies

You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect Platform functionality.

9. DATA RETENTION

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

Type of Information	Retention Period
Active Account Data	For the duration of your Account plus a reasonable period thereafter to manage any post-account matters.
Transaction Records	As required by South African tax and financial regulations (typically 5–7 years).
User-Generated Content	Until you delete it, or until your Account is terminated, unless we are required to retain it for legal or regulatory reasons.
Marketing Data	Until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe, and for a reasonable period thereafter.
AI Training Data	De-identified data may be retained indefinitely for model improvement. Identifiable data is retained only as necessary for service provision.
Analytics Data	Aggregated and anonymised data may be retained indefinitely for trend analysis.

When personal information is no longer required, we will securely delete or de-identify it.

10. AI SERVICES AND DATA PROCESSING

Our AI Services are provided through third-party AI platforms. When you use AI Services:

10.1 What Information Is Processed

Your inputs (queries, prompts, documents, content).
AI-generated outputs.
Metadata (e.g., timestamps, feature usage).

10.2 How We Handle This Information

We may use de-identified inputs and outputs to improve our AI models and Services.
We do not use identifiable personal information for AI training without your explicit consent.
We do not sell AI inputs or outputs to third parties.

10.3 Third-Party AI Providers

If we use third-party AI platforms, your interactions with our AI Services may be subject to those platforms' own privacy policies. We will only engage with providers that offer adequate data protection safeguards in accordance with POPIA.

11. YOUR RIGHTS AS A DATA SUBJECT

Under POPIA, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right	What It Means	How to Exercise
Right to Access	You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.	Submit a request to our Information Officer. We may charge a reasonable fee for multiple or extensive requests.
Right to Correction	You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.	Update your Account settings or contact our Information Officer.
Right to Deletion	You may request that we delete your personal information where no lawful basis for retention exists.	Submit a deletion request. We may retain information where required by law (e.g., financial records).
Right to Object	You may object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.	Use the unsubscribe link in marketing emails, or contact our Information Officer.
Right to Withdraw Consent	If processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.	Contact our Information Officer or adjust your Account settings.
Right to Complain	You have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.	Contact the Information Regulator directly (see Section 16).

We will respond to all valid requests within a reasonable timeframe, and no later than the statutory period required by POPIA.

12. DATA SECURITY

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or damage. These include:

12.1 Technical Measures

Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS) and at rest where appropriate.
Secure authentication and access controls.
Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing.
Firewalls and intrusion detection systems.

12.2 Organisational Measures

Access to personal information is limited to personnel who require it for their duties.
Staff training on data protection and privacy.
Data Processing Agreements with third-party service providers.
Incident response procedures for potential data breaches.

12.3 Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to your rights or freedoms, we will notify you and the Information Regulator within the timeframe required by POPIA.

13. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS

We may transfer your personal information to service providers located outside South Africa (e.g., cloud hosting, AI platforms). When we do so, we ensure that:

The receiving country has adequate data protection laws (as determined by the Information Regulator), OR
We have appropriate safeguards in place, such as standard contractual clauses, to ensure your information is protected to South African standards.

14. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our Platform is intended for users aged 13 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without appropriate consent, we will take steps to delete that information.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact our Information Officer.

15. THIRD-PARTY LINKS

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites, services, or applications that are not operated by us. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

16. COMPLAINTS AND THE INFORMATION REGULATOR

If you are dissatisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator:

Information Regulator (South Africa)
JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein
P.O. Box 31533, Braamfontein, 2017
Tel: 010 023 5200
Email: complaints@inforegulator.org.za
Web: https://www.inforegulator.org.za

We encourage you to first contact our Information Officer to attempt to resolve any concerns before approaching the Regulator.

17. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. We will notify you of material changes by:

Posting the updated policy on our Platform with a revised "Last Updated" date.
Sending an email notification to your registered address for significant changes.

Your continued use of the Platform after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy.

18. CONTACT US

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

The Farmers (Pty) Ltd
3502 Phenyo Street, Zone 6, Letlhabile
Email: admin@thefarmers.co.za
Phone: 27 069 340 2828
Web: https://thefarmers.co.za

Information Officer: Sphiwe Dube
Information Officer Email: ben@thefarmers.co.za
Information Officer Phone: +27 069 340 2828