Privacy Policy
Last Updated: [2024]
Welcome to the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your personal data in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”). By accessing and using our website, you agree to the terms outlined in this policy.
Who We Are
Our website addresses are:
– https://afsta.org
– https://afsta.org/congress
AFSTA is committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy. This policy applies to all personal information collected during your interactions with us through our websites and related services.
1. Personal Data We Collect and Why
We collect personal data to improve our services and ensure the best possible experience on our website. The categories of data we collect include:
a) Data You Provide Directly
– Comments: When visitors leave comments, we collect the data provided in the comment form, your IP address, and your browser’s user agent to help detect spam.
– Contact Forms: When you use our contact forms, we collect your name, email, and other details provided.
– Media: If you upload images, avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS), as visitors can extract this data from images.
– Order Information: If you purchase goods or services from us, we collect your name, payment details, billing address, and any information necessary to complete the transaction.
b) Automatic Data Collection
– Cookies: Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us personalize your experience. We use cookies to:
– Manage login sessions
– Store your preferences
– Analyze traffic to improve our services
You may opt out of cookies via your browser settings, but this may affect your experience on our site.
c) Analytics: We use analytics tools to understand user behavior on our site. These tools may collect data such as your IP address, device type, and browsing patterns.
2. Legal Basis for Processing
AFSTA processes personal data in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019. The legal bases for processing include:
– Consent: By using our site, you consent to the collection and use of your personal data.
– Contractual Obligations: We process personal data as necessary to fulfill our contractual obligations to you, such as processing payments or delivering products.
– Legal Obligations: We may also process your data to comply with legal obligations, such as tax or regulatory requirements.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data to:
– Provide and improve our services
– Process orders and transactions
– Respond to your queries or support requests
– Send newsletters and updates if you have subscribed
– Analyze website traffic and trends
– Ensure compliance with legal obligations
We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
4. How We Share Your Data
Your personal data may be shared with:
– Service Providers: We work with trusted third parties, such as payment processors, web hosting services, and security providers, who may process your data on our behalf.
– Regulatory Authorities: In compliance with the law, we may share your data with government agencies or other authorized bodies as required.
Any third-party service providers are subject to strict confidentiality and data protection obligations in accordance with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019.
5. Your Rights
Under the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019, you have the following rights concerning your personal data:
– Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: You can request that any inaccurate or incomplete data be corrected.
– Right to Erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain exceptions (e.g., data retention for legal compliance).
– Right to Data Portability: You can request that we provide your data in a structured, commonly used format.
– Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data, particularly for direct marketing purposes.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at congress@afsta.org.
6. How Long We Retain Your Data
We retain your data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. For example:
– Comments: Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely.
– User Accounts: We store personal data for registered users until they request deletion or for as long as the account remains active.
7. How We Protect Your Data
We employ a variety of security measures, including encryption and secure transmission protocols, to protect your data from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure.
8. Third-Party Content and Links
Our website may contain embedded content (e.g., videos, images) from external sites. Interacting with this content is subject to the privacy policies of the respective third parties, which may differ from our own.
9. Changes to this Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or the law. The latest version will always be available on our website.
Contact Information
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal data, please contact us at:
– Email: congress@afsta.org
– Phone: +254202429017
This policy complies with the Kenya Data Protection Act, 2019 and international best practices for data protection.