Nthaka IDSS Terms and Conditions

Effective Date: 1 February 2026

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern your use of the Nthaka Irrigation Decision Support System ("Nthaka IDSS", "we", "us"), provided by Digital Africa Limited. By registering for or using the platform you agree to these Terms. Nthaka IDSS provides decision-support insights for irrigation planning. Recommendations are guidance only; final decisions remain the responsibility of the user.

1. Introduction

Nthaka IDSS is designed for farmers, estates, cooperatives, and supporting organisations operating in Malawi and neighbouring regions. The platform aggregates weather, geospatial, and operational data to generate irrigation insights. Accessing or continuing to use the platform signifies acceptance of these Terms.

2. Eligibility and Accounts

  • You must provide accurate, current information during registration and update it when changes occur.
  • You are responsible for safeguarding your login credentials and any activity conducted under your account.
  • Role-based access (Farmer, Extension Worker, Researcher, Field Officer, Manager, Administrator) determines the features you may use.
  • Account ownership remains with Digital Africa Limited; one user account does not confer ownership of the system.
  • Sharing or misusing credentials, including impersonating other users, is prohibited.

3. Scope of Service

Nthaka IDSS offers:

  • Weather-informed irrigation scheduling recommendations.
  • Geospatial field mapping, monitoring, and alerting.
  • SMS, email, and dashboard notifications for irrigation, weather, and system updates.
  • Analytical dashboards, reports, and decision-support summaries.

Nthaka IDSS does not:

  • Guarantee crop yields or financial outcomes.
  • Replace agronomists, extension officers, or licensed engineers.
  • Operate irrigation hardware or infrastructure directly.

4. Data Collection and Ownership

  • Users retain ownership of farm, field, and operational data they upload, including boundaries, sensor readings, and irrigation records.
  • We store field boundaries, weather feeds, irrigation schedules, operational logs, system-generated analytics, and usage metadata to provide the service.
  • Aggregated or anonymised data may be analysed to improve Nthaka IDSS, inform product development, or fulfil donor reporting commitments. Such analysis will not disclose individual farm identities without consent.
  • By using the platform you grant Digital Africa Limited a licence to process your data for service delivery, security, and compliance purposes.

5. SMS and Notification Consent

  • By registering a mobile number you consent to receive system-generated SMS alerts related to irrigation, weather updates, security, and platform notifications.
  • Messages will not include marketing content unrelated to irrigation management.
  • You may request to opt out of SMS through your administrator or by contacting Digital Africa Limited, noting that doing so may limit critical alerts.

6. System Availability and Limitations

  • The platform relies on external services such as weather APIs, satellite imagery, telecom networks, and power supply. Availability may be affected by these dependencies.
  • Scheduled maintenance, emergency fixes, and connectivity interruptions may lead to temporary downtime.
  • Performance guarantees and support levels may vary based on your subscription or service tier.

7. User Responsibilities

  • Provide truthful data and refrain from uploading misleading or harmful content.
  • Use the platform in compliance with applicable laws and agricultural regulations.
  • Do not attempt to bypass security controls, access data you are not authorised to view, or reverse-engineer the system.
  • Do not resell, lease, or reproduce Nthaka IDSS outputs without written permission from Digital Africa Limited.
  • Interpret recommendations using professional judgment and local agronomic knowledge.

8. Intellectual Property

Nthaka IDSS, including software, user interfaces, data models, documentation, and branding, is the intellectual property of Digital Africa Limited and its licensors. Users may access the platform for their internal operations only. Copying, redistributing, or creating derivative works without written permission is prohibited. Users retain rights to their own uploaded data.

9. Limitation of Liability

Nthaka IDSS is a decision-support tool. Digital Africa Limited, its partners, and contributors are not liable for losses, damages, or claims arising from reliance on the platform, including but not limited to weather variability, market conditions, equipment failure, or user actions. Use the outputs alongside expert advice and local conditions.

10. Modifications to Terms

We may update these Terms to reflect operational, regulatory, or technical changes. Material updates will be communicated through in-app notices, email, or SMS. Continued use after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of Malawi. Any disputes will be handled in accordance with Malawian jurisdiction unless otherwise agreed in writing.

12. Contact Information

Digital Africa Limited
Area 12, Lilongwe, Malawi
Email: support@idss.local

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