Terms of Service

Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service constitute a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity ("you") and AMRIC — Agribusiness Market Research and Investment Consulting ("we," "us," or "our"), concerning your access to and use of our website at amric.org as well as any other media form, channel, or mobile application related, linked, or otherwise connected thereto (collectively, the "Site").

You agree that by accessing the Site, you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all of these Terms of Service. If you do not agree with all of these Terms of Service, then you are expressly prohibited from using the Site and must discontinue use immediately.

Supplemental terms and conditions or documents posted on the Site from time to time are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to make changes or modifications to these Terms of Service at any time and for any reason.

About AMRIC: Founded in 2015, AMRIC operates at the intersection of agribusiness trading, market research, and investment consulting in Cameroon's cocoa and coffee sector. Our network includes over 700 farmers cultivating more than 4,000 hectares, with an annual output of approximately 5,000 tonnes.

Intellectual Property Rights

Unless otherwise indicated, the Site is our proprietary property and all source code, databases, functionality, software, website designs, audio, video, text, photographs, and graphics on the Site (collectively, the "Content") and the trademarks, service marks, and logos contained therein (the "Marks") are owned or controlled by us or licensed to us, and are protected by copyright and trademark laws and various other intellectual property rights and unfair competition laws of Cameroon, international copyright laws, and international conventions.

The Content and the Marks are provided on the Site "AS IS" for your information and personal use only. Except as expressly provided in these Terms of Service, no part of the Site and no Content or Marks may be copied, reproduced, aggregated, republished, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, encoded, translated, transmitted, distributed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose whatsoever, without our express prior written permission.

Brand Protection: The AMRIC name, logo, and related agribusiness branding are protected trademarks. Our market research reports, investment analysis, and consulting methodologies are protected intellectual property. Unauthorised use of our brand, trade names, or proprietary research materials is strictly prohibited.

User Accounts

If you create an account on the Site, you are responsible for maintaining the security of your account and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under the account and any other actions taken in connection with it. You must immediately notify us of any unauthorised uses of your account or any breaches of security.

We will not be liable for any acts or omissions by you, including any damages of any kind incurred as a result of such acts or omissions. You may not use as a username the name of another person or entity, or any name or trademark subject to the rights of another person or entity without appropriate authorisation.

You may not use any username that is offensive, vulgar, or obscene. We reserve the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, remove or edit content, or cancel orders at our sole discretion.

Account Verification: For commercial agribusiness transactions, we may require identity or organisation verification to prevent fraudulent transactions and ensure compliance with applicable trade and food safety regulations.

Prohibited Activities

You may not access or use the Site for any purpose other than that for which we make the Site available. The Site may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavours except those specifically endorsed or approved by us.

As a user of the Site, you agree not to:

1. Systematically retrieve data or other content from the Site to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection, compilation, database, or directory without our written permission.
2. Trick, defraud, or mislead us and other users, especially in any attempt to learn sensitive account information such as user passwords.
3. Circumvent, disable, or otherwise interfere with security-related features of the Site, including features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of any Content.
4. Disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, AMRIC and/or the Site.
5. Use any information obtained from the Site to harass, abuse, or harm another person.
6. Make improper use of our support services or submit false reports of abuse or misconduct.
7. Use the Site in a manner inconsistent with any applicable laws or regulations of Cameroon or international law.
8. Engage in unauthorised framing of or linking to the Site.
9. Upload or transmit viruses, Trojan horses, or other material, including spamming, that interferes with any party's uninterrupted use and enjoyment of the Site.
10. Attempt to impersonate another user or person or use the username of another user.
11. Sell or attempt to sell counterfeit, adulterated, or non-authentic agricultural products through our platform.
12. Make false claims about product origin, quality certifications, or agribusiness credentials.
13. Interfere with, disrupt, or create an undue burden on the Site or the networks or services connected to the Site.
14. Harass, annoy, intimidate, or threaten any of our employees or agents engaged in providing any portion of the Site to you.
15. Attempt to bypass any measures of the Site designed to prevent or restrict access to the Site, or any portion thereof.
16. Copy or adapt the Site's software, including but not limited to PHP, HTML, JavaScript, or other code, without permission.
17. Use a buying agent or purchasing agent to make purchases on the Site without disclosure.
18. Make any unauthorised use of the Site, including collecting usernames and/or email addresses of users by electronic or other means for the purpose of sending unsolicited email.
19. Use the Site to compete with us or otherwise use the Site for any revenue-generating endeavour or commercial enterprise without authorisation.
20. Engage in any activity that could damage AMRIC's reputation as a trusted agribusiness partner in Cameroon.

Products and Purchases

We make every effort to accurately display the characteristics, specifications, and details of the agribusiness products available on the Site. However, we do not guarantee that all descriptions, pricing, or availability information will be accurate, complete, or current at all times, and your electronic display may not accurately reflect actual product appearance.

All products are subject to availability. We reserve the right to discontinue any products at any time for any reason. Prices for all products are subject to change, and for agricultural commodities such as cocoa and coffee, prices may reflect current market rates.

Quality Commitment: AMRIC guarantees that all cocoa, coffee, and agribusiness products sold through our platform are origin-verified and quality-checked before dispatch. Products are graded to applicable national and international standards. Quality certificates and traceability documentation are available upon request.

By making a purchase on the Site, you represent and warrant that:

1. You are at least 18 years of age;
2. You are using your actual identity or are duly authorised to act on behalf of your organisation;
3. You are not using the Site to violate any applicable law or regulation, or to infringe the rights of any third party;
4. You will only purchase products for yourself or for another person or entity for whom you are legally permitted to do so;
5. Any purchase made on behalf of another person shall be with the permission of such person;
6. You agree to be financially responsible for all purchases made by you or someone acting on your behalf;
7. You have reviewed and agree to the shipping and return policies;
8. You understand that agricultural products may vary naturally in appearance, colour, texture, or moisture content due to seasonal and origin factors;
9. You will store products properly according to AMRIC's storage and handling guidelines;
10. You understand that international buyers are responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable import regulations in their destination country;
11. You acknowledge that commodity pricing for cocoa and coffee may fluctuate with international market rates.

Returns and Refunds

Due to the agricultural and perishable nature of many AMRIC products, all sales are generally final. However, if you are not satisfied with your AMRIC purchase due to quality concerns, product non-conformity, or shipping damage, please review our Return Policy or contact our team for assistance.

Quality Guarantee: If any product purchased from AMRIC is found to be non-conforming to the agreed quality specifications, we will provide a full refund or replacement and investigate the issue with the relevant cooperative. This is part of our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of agricultural quality and traceability.

Disclaimer of Warranties

THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE BASIS. YOU AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND OUR SERVICES WILL BE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE AND YOUR USE THEREOF, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SITE'S CONTENT OR THE CONTENT OF ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO THE SITE AND WE WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, MISTAKES, OR INACCURACIES OF CONTENT AND MATERIALS, PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE.

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT DISCLAIMER: AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS INCLUDING COCOA AND COFFEE MAY EXHIBIT NATURAL VARIATIONS IN COLOUR, TEXTURE, MOISTURE, AND FLAVOUR PROFILE DUE TO SEASONAL, REGIONAL, AND POST-HARVEST FACTORS. AMRIC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCES REGARDING TASTE OR SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE.

MARKET RESEARCH DISCLAIMER: AMRIC'S MARKET RESEARCH REPORTS AND INVESTMENT CONSULTING SERVICES ARE PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND ADVISORY PURPOSES ONLY. THEY DO NOT CONSTITUTE FINANCIAL ADVICE. INVESTMENT DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE IN CONSULTATION WITH QUALIFIED FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ADVISORS FAMILIAR WITH CAMEROON'S REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT.

Limitations of Liability

IN NO EVENT WILL WE OR OUR DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFIT, LOST REVENUE, LOSS OF DATA, OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION, WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT PAID, IF ANY, BY YOU TO US FOR THE SPECIFIC PRODUCT OR SERVICE THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THE CLAIM.

Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless, including our subsidiaries, affiliates, and all of our respective officers, agents, partners, and employees, from and against any loss, damage, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses, made by any third party due to or arising out of: (1) your use of the Site; (2) breach of these Terms of Service; (3) any breach of your representations and warranties set forth in these Terms of Service; (4) your violation of the rights of a third party, including but not limited to intellectual property rights; or (5) any overt harmful act toward any other user of the Site with whom you connected via the Site.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defence and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate, at your expense, with our defence of such claims. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action, or proceeding which is subject to this indemnification upon becoming aware of it.

Governing Law

These Terms of Service and your use of the Site are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Cameroon, applicable to agreements made and to be entirely performed within Cameroon, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Any disputes arising from these terms or your use of AMRIC's agribusiness services shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Cameroon, specifically those located in the South West Region where AMRIC is based in Buea.

Dispute Resolution

Any legal action of whatever nature brought by either you or us (collectively, the "Parties" and individually, a "Party") shall be commenced or prosecuted in the courts located in Buea, Cameroon, and the Parties hereby consent to, and waive all defences of lack of personal jurisdiction and forum non conveniens with respect to venue and jurisdiction in such courts.

Before initiating any legal proceedings, the Parties agree to attempt to resolve any disputes through good faith negotiations. If a dispute cannot be resolved through direct negotiation within thirty (30) days, the Parties may seek mediation through the Cameroon Chamber of Commerce before pursuing litigation.

In no event shall any claim, action, or proceeding brought by either Party related in any way to the Site or AMRIC product purchases be commenced more than one (1) year after the cause of action arose.

Changes to Terms

We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to change or modify portions of these Terms of Service at any time. If we do this, we will post the changes on this page and will indicate at the top of this page the date these terms were last revised. We will also notify you, either through the Site user interface, in an email notification, or through other reasonable means.

Any such changes will become effective no earlier than fourteen (14) days after they are posted, except that changes addressing new functions of the Site or changes made for legal reasons will be effective immediately. Your continued use of the Site after the date any such changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms of Service.

Notification Methods: We will notify registered users of significant changes via email to their registered address and through prominent notices on amric.org.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us:

• By email: info@amric.org
• By phone: +237 6XX XXX XXX
• By mail: AMRIC, Buea, South West Region, Cameroon
• Website: https://amric.org
• Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Central Africa Time)