Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Reisiger Engineering ("Reisiger," "we," "us," or "our") operates and maintains the AgricultureSA Platform ("AgricultureSA" or "the Platform") on behalf of Agriculture South Africa (AgriSA) and its affiliates.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, process, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal and institutional information across all web, mobile, and data services provided under www.agriculturesa.io, related applications, and the Atlas Data Aggregation System (collectively, the "Platform").

We value transparency, security, and compliance. This policy is governed by:

• The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), Act 4 of 2013
• The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), where applicable
• The Electronic Communications and Transactions Act, Act 25 of 2002
• The Promotion of Access to Information Act, Act 2 of 2000

By using the Platform, you consent to the practices described in this policy.

2. Scope

This Policy applies to:

• All users of the AgricultureSA Platform, including individuals, farmers, cooperatives, institutions, and government partners;
• All data collected directly or indirectly through the Platform, Atlas data integrations, or affiliated systems; and
• All subsidiaries and technical partners acting on Reisiger's behalf under lawful data processing agreements.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Personal Information

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data, depending on the services used:

• Identity Information: Full name, ID or passport number, date of birth, gender, nationality
• Contact Information: Email address, phone number, postal and physical address, farm or business location
• Professional & Agricultural Data: Farm or business type, crop and livestock information, landholding details, production statistics, membership associations, agricultural qualifications
• Account & Subscription Data: Username, password, preferences, account tier, communication settings, payment details, and service usage

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you access the Platform, we automatically collect:

• Device & Usage Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, app version, language settings, time zone, and activity logs
• Interaction Data: Pages visited, time spent, modules accessed, search queries, interaction frequency, and analytic events
• Geolocation Data: GPS coordinates (with consent), IP-based region, and optional farm or business coordinates for spatial mapping

3.3 Atlas and Third-Party Data Sources

Through Atlas, AgricultureSA integrates and processes data from secure, licensed sources including:

All third-party integrations comply with data-sharing agreements, and Atlas anonymizes data before analytical use whenever possible.

4. How We Use Your Information

We process your information only for legitimate, lawful, and defined purposes, including:

4.1 Service Provision

• Account registration, authentication, and access management
• Delivering Atlas-powered modules (Water, Land, Trade, Rural Safety, Market, Climate, etc.)
• Providing analytical dashboards, real-time alerts, and subscription features
• Generating statistical insights for agricultural stakeholders

4.2 Platform and Atlas Improvement

• Conducting performance analytics and user experience optimization
• Developing predictive models and research outputs
• Testing new features and enhancing data quality
• Improving interoperability between Platform modules

4.3 Communications

• Sending service updates, security alerts, newsletters, and event notifications
• Providing technical and customer support
• Issuing policy and compliance notices

4.4 Compliance, Legal, and Safety

• Fulfilling regulatory, tax, and financial reporting obligations
• Cooperating with lawful investigations
• Preventing fraud, misuse, and unauthorized access
• Protecting the rights, property, and safety of users, AgriSA, and Reisiger

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Under POPIA and GDPR, personal data is processed on the following bases:

• Consent: for marketing communications, cookies, and optional location tracking
• Contractual Necessity: to perform Platform functions and deliver subscribed services
• Legal Obligation: to comply with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Legitimate Interest: for security, performance monitoring, and product improvement

6. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We only share personal information in accordance with strict confidentiality, data processing agreements, and legal safeguards.

6.1 Authorized Recipients

• Cloud Infrastructure: Microsoft Azure (South Africa North and South regions)
• Service Providers: analytics, geospatial, communication, and payment vendors
• AgriSA: for member services and authorized agricultural programs
• Research Partners: universities, think tanks, and agricultural bodies (with anonymization)
• Regulators and Law Enforcement: only under lawful mandate

6.2 Prohibited Actions

We do not:

• ✗ Sell or rent user data
• ✗ Share user data for unrelated commercial marketing
• ✗ Disclose proprietary farm or spatial data to competitors
• ✗ Transfer data internationally without POPIA-compliant safeguards

7. Data Retention and Destruction

All deletion is conducted in accordance with ISO/IEC 27001 standards.

8. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Access: request copies of your personal information
• Rectification: correct or update inaccurate data
• Erasure: request deletion ("right to be forgotten")
• Restriction: limit data processing under specific circumstances
• Objection: opt out of direct marketing or profiling
• Portability: request transfer of your data in a structured format
• Withdrawal: revoke previously given consent

Requests must be submitted in writing to:

📧 privacy@agriculturesa.io

📞 +27 12 643 3400

⏱ Response Time: Within 30 business days

9. Data Security

We employ a multi-layered security framework combining organizational, technical, and physical controls:

• Encryption (AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit)
• Zero-trust architecture for Platform access
• Multi-factor authentication and role-based permissions
• Secure audit trails and intrusion detection systems
• Regular penetration testing and vulnerability assessments
• Employee confidentiality and data handling training
• 24/7 security monitoring through AtlasOps

In the event of a data breach:

• Notification to the Information Regulator within 72 hours
• Prompt communication to affected users
• Disclosure of incident details, risks, and mitigation measures

10. Cross-Border Data Transfers and Localization

All personal data and government-sourced datasets are stored within South Africa, ensuring full data sovereignty.

Any international transfers (e.g., global weather APIs, market data feeds) are limited, documented, and protected by:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (GDPR)
• Binding Data Processing Agreements
• Explicit user consent where required

No data is transferred to jurisdictions lacking adequate protection.

11. Data Protection Governance

Data Controller & Processor:

Reisiger Engineering (Pty) Ltd

Data Protection Officer (DPO):

📧 dpo@agriculturesa.io

📞 +27 12 643 3400

🏢 c/o AgriSA House, 477 Witherite Road, The Willows, Pretoria, 0184

The DPO oversees compliance with POPIA, GDPR, and data subject rights.

12. Complaints and Dispute Resolution

External Authority:

Information Regulator (South Africa)

📧 inforeg@justice.gov.za

📞 +27 10 023 5200

🏢 JD House, 27 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, 2001

🌐 www.justice.gov.za/inforeg

13. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Policy periodically to:

• Reflect Platform and Atlas service changes
• Incorporate legislative or regulatory amendments
• Improve clarity or accuracy

Notification of Material Changes:

• Public notice on the website
• Direct email to registered users
• Effective 30 days from notification

14. Contact

For any queries, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy:

📧 hello@agriculturesa.io

📍 1247 Embankment Avenue, Centurion, South Africa

Disclaimer

This Privacy Policy forms part of the AgricultureSA.io Terms of Service. By using the Platform, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agreed to the terms set forth herein.