Privacy Policy
Last updated: 8 July 2026
1. Who We Are
This platform ("MyCarmeta's National Food Security Portal" or "the Platform") is operated by the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC), a statutory corporation established under the Laws of Barbados, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security. Registered Address: Fairy Valley, Christ Church, Barbados BB17092 Email: contactus@badmc.org Telephone: (246) 535-6830
2. Information We Collect
We collect information necessary to operate the Platform and deliver agricultural, procurement, and food-security services. a) Account Information: When you register or sign in using Google OAuth, we receive your full name, email address, and profile picture from Google solely to create and authenticate your account. If you register via email/password, we store your email address and a securely hashed password. b) Farmer-Specific Data: If you access the Farmer Portal, we collect your farm name, parish, farm location, farm size, farm type (crops, livestock, poultry, fish), registration number, phone number, WhatsApp number, bank account details (for payouts), harvest records, livestock records, and drying bookings. c) Customer-Specific Data: If you access the Customer Portal, we collect your name, delivery address, parish, phone number, order history, and payment preferences. d) Transactional Data: Orders, payments, Point-of-Sale (POS) transactions, farmer payouts, input credit applications, and procurement commitments. e) Operational Data: Inventory batch details, delivery records, weather alerts, forecasts, and system-generated alerts. f) Usage Data: We log device type, access times, and interactions with Platform features for security, analytics, and service improvement.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to: • Authenticate you and maintain your account • Operate the Farmer, Customer, and Ministry/BADMC portals • Process orders, farmer payouts, and procurement requests • Manage inventory, logistics, and deliveries • Send operational notifications via email and WhatsApp (harvest alerts, procurement requests, payment confirmations, weather warnings, delivery updates) • Generate supply-and-demand forecasts and food-security scoreboards • Administer input credit programmes and repayment tracking • Comply with regulatory, audit, and reporting obligations to the Government of Barbados • Detect and prevent fraud, misuse, and unauthorised access • Improve Platform reliability, performance, and user experience
4. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your personal data under the following lawful bases: a) Contract: Processing necessary to deliver services you have requested (orders, payouts, procurement). b) Legal Obligation: Processing required to comply with Barbadian agricultural, financial, and food-security regulations. c) Public Interest: Processing carried out in the exercise of BADMC's official mandate to support and regulate agricultural development and food security in Barbados. d) Consent: Processing you explicitly agree to, such as WhatsApp notifications. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting services you are legally entitled to.
5. Google OAuth and Third-Party Authentication
We use Google Sign-In to streamline authentication. We request only the minimum scopes needed (profile and email). We do not receive or store your Google password. Google authentication is governed by Google's Privacy Policy, available at policies.google.com/privacy. You may revoke our access at any time via your Google Account settings at myaccount.google.com/permissions. Revoking access will prevent future sign-in via Google; you may need to set an alternative authentication method to regain access.
6. WhatsApp and SMS Notifications
With your explicit opt-in, we may send you operational notifications via WhatsApp or SMS, including: • Procurement requests matching your farm's crops or livestock • Harvest and livestock readiness reminders • Drying-booking status updates • Payout and payment confirmations • Weather and spoilage-risk alerts • Delivery and logistics updates WhatsApp messages are delivered through the WhatsApp Business API. Standard messaging rates from your mobile carrier may apply. You may opt out of WhatsApp/SMS notifications at any time by toggling the setting in your Farmer Portal profile or by contacting us. Opting out does not affect your ability to use the Platform.
7. Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal data. We share data only with: a) BADMC Staff and Authorised Ministry Personnel: To deliver services, manage procurement, process payments, and fulfil our public mandate. Access is role-based and restricted to staff who need the information. b) Technology and Infrastructure Partners: Hosting providers, database services, and payment processors under strict confidentiality and data-protection agreements. These partners process data only on our instructions and are bound by applicable data-protection laws. c) Banking and Payment Partners: Bank account details and payment instructions are shared with financial institutions solely to execute farmer payouts and credit disbursements. d) Law Enforcement and Government Agencies: When required by Barbadian law, court order, or regulatory mandate. We do not transfer your personal data outside of Barbados unless required for technology infrastructure, in which case we ensure an adequate level of data protection through contractual safeguards.
8. Cookies and Local Storage
The Platform uses essential cookies and browser local storage to: • Maintain your authenticated session • Remember your cart contents and preferences • Preserve your selected role portal and language settings We do not use advertising or third-party tracking cookies. You may clear cookies and local storage at any time through your browser settings; this will log you out and reset your preferences.
9. Financial Data and Bank Account Details
Farmer bank account details are collected solely for the purpose of processing payouts for agricultural deliveries. These details are: • Stored in encrypted form and visible only to authorised Finance personnel • Never shared with third parties except the farmer's bank for payment execution • Retained for the duration of the farmer relationship and audit periods thereafter Farmers are responsible for ensuring bank account details are current and accurate. BADMC is not liable for misdirected payments due to outdated information provided by the farmer.
10. Data Retention
Account data is retained for as long as your account is active. Upon deactivation: • Personal identifiers (email, phone, bank details) are removed or anonymised within 90 days • Agricultural and transactional records may be retained for up to 7 years to meet regulatory, audit, and food-security reporting requirements under Barbadian law • Anonymised aggregate data may be retained indefinitely for statistical and planning purposes You may request deletion of your personal data at any time by contacting contactus@badmc.org. Transactional records required by law will be anonymised rather than deleted.
11. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security controls including: • All data transmitted over HTTPS (TLS encryption) • Role-based access control — users see only data relevant to their assigned role • Authentication tokens that expire and require re-validation • Regular security reviews and access audits • Encrypted storage of sensitive financial data Despite these measures, no system can be guaranteed 100% secure. If a data breach occurs that poses a risk to your rights, we will notify affected users and the relevant authorities without undue delay, in accordance with Barbadian law.
12. Your Rights
Under applicable data-protection law, you have the right to: • Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you • Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information • Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal retention requirements) • Restriction: Request that we limit processing of your data • Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format • Objection: Object to processing based on legitimate interests • Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for optional processing (e.g., WhatsApp notifications) at any time To exercise any of these rights, contact contactus@badmc.org. We will respond within 30 days. If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Data Commissioner of Barbados.
13. Children's Privacy
The Platform is not directed at individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a minor has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.
14. Third-Party Links
The Platform may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., Google, WhatsApp, payment providers). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.
15. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or Platform features. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. Continued use of the Platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page regularly.
16. Contact
For any questions, requests, or complaints regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data: Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation Fairy Valley, Christ Church, Barbados BB17092 Email: contactus@badmc.org Telephone: (246) 535-6830