Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions ("Terms") govern the use of the online learning platform ("Academy") provided by F4F – Forests4Farming gGmbH, a non-profit organization registered in Germany ("F4F", "we", "our"). F4F provides a tailored online academy to offer free educational content to farmers and learners worldwide to support the implementation of syntropic agroforestry systems. While F4F uses the infrastructure of LearnWorlds as a technical service provider, the Academy is operated independently under F4F’s responsibility. By registering or using the Academy, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

F4F operates the Academy on a non-profit basis and finances its educational mission in part through voluntary donations. These donations may be used to maintain and develop the Academy, to support agroforestry-related projects, or to cover other operational costs incurred by F4F in fulfilling its non-profit objectives. Donations are not required for access or use of any features. Users who wish to support the Academy financially can find more information by contacting us at contact@forests4farming.org or by visiting our donation page.

F4F may, at its sole discretion, limit, suspend, or terminate access of users to the Academy in cases of violation of the Terms, inappropriate behavior, or for legal or technical reasons.

• The Academy is provided free of charge.
• The Academy is open to individuals worldwide, including minors, provided they have obtained appropriate consent from a parent or guardian where required.
• To access the Academy, users must register and provide accurate information, including their name, email address, country of residence, language of preference.
• Users may optionally provide additional information at their discretion under the profile settings.
• Users are responsible for safeguarding their login credentials and are encouraged to use strong passwords.
• F4F may restrict specific functionalities whenever considered appropriate according to internal criteria.
• The provision of false or inaccurate information may result in the user's suspension or removal from the Academy.

• F4F collects and processes personal data (see Section 2) solely for the purposes of providing and improving the Academy, enhancing digital outreach and marketing efforts, and increasing the reach and visibility of the Academy.
• Data is processed in full compliance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
• Users may request access to, correction, or deletion of their personal data at any time by contacting: legal@forests4farming.org
• F4F may use third-party tools (e.g., for social media logins or analytics) to deliver and analyze Academy functionality. These tools are used strictly in accordance with GDPR standards. Personal data is never sold or shared for commercial purposes.
• To support collaboration and interaction within the Academy, certain basic user information, such as name, country of residence may be visible to other registered users within the same course module(s), across courses or learning group(s).
• By registering, users acknowledge and agree that this information may appear in the courses, participant lists, discussion threads, or other community features tied to courses in which they are enrolled.
• Contact details such as email address or phone number are not publicly displayed by default. Users are advised not to share sensitive or personal data in public areas of the Academy.
• F4F implements appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect all user data and ensures that no personal information is disclosed to external third parties without explicit user consent, unless required by law.
• Aggregated and anonymized data may be used for statistical, institutional, or strategic improvement purposes.
• Information will be stored on secure servers that meet international data protection standards.

• F4F strives to ensure reliable access to the Academy but does not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service.
• F4F may update or remove features, content, or services as needed to improve the Academy or comply with technical requirements.
• Scheduled or urgent maintenance may temporarily make the Platform unavailable. When possible, such events will be communicated in advance.

The Academy may contain links to external websites or services. F4F is not responsible for the availability, content, accuracy, or data protection practices of such third-party resources. The inclusion of such links does not imply endorsement or association. Users are advised to review the terms of service and privacy policies of any external sites they visit. According to guidance by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) and GDPR Recital 70, responsibility for personal data shared with third-party services lies with those service providers. F4F assumes no liability for the misuse of personal data or damages incurred through use of external platforms.

F4F‘s mission is to promote and disseminate knowledge about the technology known as agroforestry. Activities related to agroforestry take place primarily in natural environments and involve various risks, such as: bites from venomous animals, accidents involving sharp tools (manual, electric, or internal combustion), falls from working at heights, pruning or harvesting accidents, among others.

By accessing the content and classes provided by F4F, the participant acknowledges that engaging in agroforestry activities requires special technical skills, specialized knowledge, and compliance with appropriate safety requirements. Therefore, they recognize and agree that any initiative to put the acquired knowledge into practice will be entirely at their own risk.

F4F disclaims any civil, criminal, or administrative liability for any accidents, incidents, or damages, direct or indirect, of any kind that may occur as a result of the participant's implementation of agroforestry activities. Thus the participant declares themselves capable and aware of the risks involved, fully assuming responsibility for their actions and releasing F4F from any obligations, damages, or liabilities.

F4F does not guarantee certifications, professional recognition, or specific results from the application of educational content.

Users must comply with local legislation, environmental regulations, technical requirements, and applicable regulations before implementing any agroforestry practices learned in the Academy.

All works, materials, data, information, and content owned by F4F or by third parties with whom it holds licensing agreements, including but not limited to texts, images, videos, audio, designs, code, software, supplementary materials, and any other content, are protected by national and international intellectual property laws.

Therefore, any copying, reproduction, distribution, modification, adaptation, public display, public communication, or any other form of use, exploitation, or commercialization of these works and content is expressly prohibited without prior written authorization from F4F.

F4F reserves all rights over its registered trademarks, copyrights, and other intellectual property assets available on the online learning academy (hereinafter referred to as "F4F academy"), and any unauthorized use is prohibited and may lead to civil and criminal consequences.

Considering that the F4F academy may host files from open networks and external sources whose use may not be attributed to or controlled by F4F, it is clarified that the availability of such materials does not imply any transfer of rights nor any responsibility by F4F for their content or misuse. It is the user's responsibility to ensure that the use of such files does not infringe on third-party rights, being solely responsible for any legal violations arising from the use of such content.

It is the user’s responsibility to protect the copyrights of the works, materials, data, information, and content made available or provided by F4F, as well as to take all necessary measures to prevent unauthorized use.

Access to the F4F academy is personal and non-transferable, and sharing access with third parties is prohibited. The user is solely responsible for any misuse resulting from unauthorized access.

Violation of this clause will subject the infringer to civil penalties, including compensation for losses and damages, as well as applicable criminal sanctions.

Users agree to immediately report to F4F any misuse, suspected infringement, or failure to credit external sources available on the Academy.

These Terms may be amended from time to time. Significant changes will be announced via the Academy. Continued use of the Academy after such updates indicates acceptance of the revised Terms.

Users will be encouraged to periodically review the Terms to stay informed about updates that may affect their use of the Academy.

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany. Any disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of the competent courts in Germany.

We may update or modify these Terms & Conditions from time to time at our discretion. If we make material changes, we will notify users and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the site after any such updates constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you should discontinue use of the site.

Any modifications will take effect immediately upon publication, unless otherwise stated explicitly on the Academy.

Users of the Academy may upload or share content including but not limited to literature, data sources, designs, and other materials (“User Content”) within the Academy. By submitting User Content, users grant F4F a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, and perpetual license to use, display, reproduce, and distribute such content for educational and informational purposes within the Academy.

Users represent and warrant that they hold all necessary rights to the content they upload and that such content does not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights. F4F is not responsible for verifying the ownership or legality of any User Content and assumes no liability for any copyright or intellectual property violations resulting from the use or publication of such materials. Responsibility for any infringement or legal consequences lies solely with the user who uploaded the content.

For questions or concerns regarding these Terms, please contact us at: legal@forests4farming.org