TrusteefarmThis Privacy Policy explains how Trusteefarm Limited (“Trusteefarm”, “we”, “us”) collects, uses, shares and protects personal information when you use our website and marketplace at www.trusteefarm.com (the “Platform”). By using the Platform, you agree to the practices described here.
1. Who we are
Trusteefarm Limited is based in Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana. We operate an agritech marketplace that connects farmers and farming cooperatives with buyers, processors and exporters. Trusteefarm is the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.
2. Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account details: your name, email address, phone number, region or location, and password.
- Farmer profile and verification: farm name, farm size, crops and produce listings (including photos), farming methods, gender, date of birth, preferred language, Mobile Money number, national ID (e.g. Ghana Card) number, and verification documents you upload, such as identity documents, business certificates, land titles or bank statements.
- Buyer details: company name, location, sourcing requests (produce, quantity, grade, delivery region or destination country) and subscription details.
- Orders and payments: delivery name, address, region and phone number, order details, chosen payment method, and payment references you submit (for example a Mobile Money transaction ID or bank reference) so that we can verify payments held in escrow. Card payments are processed by Paystack; we do not receive or store your full card details.
- Communications: messages and offers exchanged in order chats, contact-access requests, messages sent through our contact form, and your email address if you subscribe to our newsletter.
Information collected automatically
- Device and usage information that our hosting and infrastructure providers record when you access the Platform, such as IP address, browser type and request logs.
- Browser storage used to keep you signed in and remember your progress (see Cookies and local storage).
Information from others
- If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from your Google account (see Google Sign-In).
- Our administrators may add or update farmer records, for example when registering farmers in bulk on behalf of cooperatives.
3. How we use information
- To create and manage accounts and to sign you in.
- To operate the marketplace: publishing produce listings, matching buyer requests with farmers, and enabling orders, offers and negotiations.
- To review and verify farmers and their listings.
- To process orders, verify payments and manage escrow, delivery and order status.
- To send service emails, such as account confirmations, approval notices, order and payment updates, and replies to your enquiries.
- To send newsletter updates if you subscribed. You can ask us to stop at any time.
- To provide customer support, prevent fraud and misuse, keep the Platform secure, and comply with legal obligations.
- To understand how the Platform is used and improve it.
We process personal information to perform our agreement with you, with your consent (for example the newsletter), to meet legal obligations, and for our legitimate interests in operating a safe and reliable marketplace.
4. How information is shared
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only as follows:
- With other users, as needed for the marketplace. Farmer profiles and produce listings are visible on the Platform. A farmer’s direct contact details are shared with a buyer only after a contact-access request is approved. Buyer contact details are not shown to farmers by default; farmers receive the order information needed to fulfil an order.
- With service providers who process data on our behalf, including:
- Google (Firebase and Google Cloud) for our database, user authentication and Google Sign-In, and Google’s Gemini AI service when our administrators process uploaded documents or spreadsheets;
- Vercel for website hosting;
- Resend for sending emails;
- Paystack for card and online payments;
- Cloudinary for hosting images.
- For legal reasons, when required by law, regulation or legal process, or to protect the rights, property or safety of Trusteefarm, our users or others.
- In a business transfer, such as a merger, acquisition or sale of assets, subject to this policy.
5. Google Sign-In
If you choose “Sign in with Google”, we request only your basic profile information and email address. We use this information to create or sign in to your Trusteefarm account and to contact you about your account and transactions. We do not access your Google contacts, files, emails or any other Google data, and we do not share information received from Google with third parties except the service providers listed above that help us run the Platform. Our use of information received from Google APIs adheres to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including its Limited Use requirements.
6. International transfers
Our service providers may store or process information on servers outside Ghana. Where this happens, we rely on providers that apply appropriate safeguards to protect personal information.
7. Data retention
We keep personal information for as long as your account is active and as needed to provide the Platform. We may keep some information for longer where it is required for legal, tax, accounting or dispute-resolution purposes, or to prevent fraud. When information is no longer needed, we delete it or make it anonymous.
8. Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information. However, no method of transmission over the internet or of electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Please keep your password confidential and tell us immediately if you suspect unauthorised use of your account.
9. Your rights
Subject to applicable law, including Ghana’s Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843), you can:
- ask for access to the personal information we hold about you;
- ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
- ask us to delete your information or close your account;
- object to, or ask us to stop, certain processing, including newsletter emails.
To make a request, email info@trusteefarm.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. You may also complain to the Data Protection Commission of Ghana.
10. Cookies and local storage
The Platform uses your browser’s local storage to keep you signed in and to remember information such as a request you started before signing in. We do not use advertising cookies. Our providers (for example Google for sign-in and fonts, and Paystack for payments) may use their own cookies when you use their features, under their own privacy policies.
11. Children
The Platform is intended for people aged 18 and over. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has given us personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page and change the “Last updated” date. If we make significant changes, we will take reasonable steps to let you know.
13. Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal information, please contact:
Trusteefarm Limited
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Email: info@trusteefarm.com