Privacy Policy

Who We Are

BhuquAgric is an agricultural marketplace service operated by Squareone International LLC ("we", "us", "our"). We connect produce suppliers with buyers across Southern Africa using SMS and WhatsApp messaging. Our service is accessible by texting JOIN to +1 (240) 724-8788 or through our website at bhuquagric.com.

Information We Collect

When you interact with BhuquAgric via SMS, WhatsApp, or our website, we may collect the following information:

• Registration information: Your name, phone number, region, and the type of crops you supply or wish to purchase.
• Listing data: Crop type, quantity, quality grade, pricing, and availability dates you submit via SMS.
• Message records: The content of SMS and WhatsApp messages exchanged with our service for the purpose of processing your requests and maintaining your account.
• Usage data: How you interact with our service, including message timestamps, frequency of use, and feature engagement.
• Device information: Phone number and carrier information transmitted as part of the SMS protocol.

We do not collect financial information such as bank account details or mobile money PINs through our SMS service.

How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Service delivery: To register you as a supplier or buyer, process your produce listings, match suppliers with buyers, and send you notifications about marketplace activity.
• Communication: To send you SMS and WhatsApp messages related to your listings, matches, account status, and service updates.
• Quality control: To review and verify listings before they are published to buyers.
• Service improvement: To understand how our service is used and to improve the marketplace experience.
• Market intelligence: To generate anonymised, aggregate insights about agricultural supply and demand trends in our operating regions.

SMS and WhatsApp Messaging

Opt-in: You opt in to receive messages from BhuquAgric by texting JOIN to +1 (240) 724-8788. This constitutes your consent to receive SMS messages related to the BhuquAgric agricultural marketplace service.

Message frequency: Message frequency varies based on your activity, typically 2–10 messages per week.

Opt-out: You may opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message from BhuquAgric. Upon opting out, you will receive a confirmation message and no further messages will be sent.

Help: Reply HELP to any message for support information.

Message and data rates may apply. Consult your mobile carrier for details on your messaging plan.

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

• Marketplace matching: When a buyer is matched with your listing, we share relevant listing details (crop, quantity, quality, region) and your contact name with the matched buyer. We share buyer interest notifications with matched suppliers.
• Cooperative managers: If you are registered under a cooperative, your cooperative manager may have access to your listing information for quality control purposes.
• Service providers: We use Twilio to deliver SMS and WhatsApp messages. Twilio processes your phone number and message content as part of message delivery. Twilio's privacy practices are governed by their own privacy policy.
• Legal requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or legal process.
• Anonymised data: We may share aggregate, anonymised market data that cannot be used to identify individual users.

Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure servers. We use commercially reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We retain your registration and listing data for as long as your account is active and for a reasonable period thereafter for record-keeping and service improvement purposes. You may request deletion of your data by contacting us.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate information.
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information and account.
• Opt-out: Stop receiving messages at any time by replying STOP.

To exercise any of these rights, text HELP to +1 (240) 724-8788 or email us at hello@bhuquagric.com.

International Data Transfers

BhuquAgric operates across multiple countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Your data may be processed in Botswana, the United States (where our parent entity Squareone International LLC is registered), or other countries where our service providers operate. By using our service, you consent to this transfer of data.

Children's Privacy

BhuquAgric is a business-to-business agricultural service and is not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect information from minors. If we become aware that we have collected information from a person under 18, we will take steps to delete that information.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via SMS or by posting the updated policy on our website. Your continued use of the service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact us:

BhuquAgric (operated by Squareone International LLC)

Email: hello@bhuquagric.com

SMS: Text HELP to +1 (240) 724-8788

Web: bhuquagric.com