Terms & Conditions
Last updated: July 2026
1. Introduction
FarmShed is an online marketplace that connects Kenyan farmers with verified agronomists/livestock experts, trusted equipment providers and reliable farmhands. By creating an account on farmshed.app, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.
2. Account Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years of age to create a FarmShed account. You agree to provide accurate information during signup, including your real name, valid National ID or Passport, and where applicable, genuine academic or business credentials, certificates of good conduct, or a chief's recommendation letter.
3. Roles and Responsibilities
3.1 Farmers
Farmers post jobs describing the agronomy services or equipment they need, and may also search for farmhands to hire. They are responsible for accurately describing the job, paying the agreed amount via M-Pesa, and marking the job complete in good faith once the work has been satisfactorily delivered.
3.2 Agronomists/Livestock Experts and Equipment Providers
Agronomists/livestock experts and equipment providers (collectively, "Providers") agree to deliver services with professionalism and integrity. Agronomists/livestock experts must hold valid academic or professional credentials in their field and must not misrepresent their qualifications. Equipment providers must provide valid business credentials or proof of ownership for the equipment they list, and must not misrepresent their equipment or services.
3.3 Farmhands
Farmhands are individuals offering general or unskilled farm labour. To join, a farmhand provides a valid National ID, a Certificate of Good Conduct, and a recommendation letter from their local chief, along with the chief's contact details. Farmhands agree that their contact details and their chief's contact details may be shared with a farmer who pays the matchmaking fee described in section 4.1.
4. Platform Commission and Payment Processing (Important)
FarmShed charges a tiered commission on each completed job, based on the job amount.
When a farmer pays for an agronomy or equipment service via M-Pesa, the funds are held in escrow by FarmShed. Once the farmer marks the job as complete, the Provider is paid their share directly to their M-Pesa, and FarmShed retains its commission. The commission rate depends on the size of the job:
| Job Amount (KES) | FarmShed Commission |
|---|---|
| 500 – 749 | 25% |
| 750 – 1,499 | 18% |
| 1,500 – 2,999 | 13% |
| 3,000 – 4,999 | 11% |
| 5,000 and above | 10% |
Minimum job amount: FarmShed does not process payments for jobs under KES 500. This minimum exists because of fixed costs charged by our payment processor (see below), which make smaller amounts impractical to process fairly.
Why the commission varies by job size: FarmShed processes all M-Pesa payments through our licensed payment partner, IntaSend. IntaSend charges FarmShed a fee of 3% to collect a payment from a farmer, and a flat fee of KES 100 to send each payout to a Provider, regardless of the payout amount. These are IntaSend's standard, publicly published rates and are outside FarmShed's control; they may change from time to time at IntaSend's discretion. Because the KES 100 payout fee is the same whether a job is worth KES 500 or KES 50,000, FarmShed's commission rate is higher on smaller jobs so that it remains fair for both FarmShed and Providers to process the payment.
By creating a Provider account on FarmShed, you accept this commission structure. The commission is non-refundable except in cases of platform error.
4.1 Farmhand Matchmaking Fee (Important)
FarmShed charges farmers a one-time matchmaking fee of KES 1,000 to connect with a farmhand.
The farmhand model works differently from the escrow service above. To obtain a farmhand's contact details and their chief's contact details, a farmer pays a one-time matchmaking fee of KES 1,000 via M-Pesa. On successful payment:
- The farmer is shown the farmhand's phone number and the chief's name and phone number.
- The fee is retained in full by FarmShed as payment for the connection service.
The matchmaking fee covers the introduction only. Any agreement on the work to be done, wages, hours and other terms is made directly between the farmer and the farmhand, off the platform. FarmShed is a connection service and is not the employer of any farmhand, does not set or pay wages, and is not a party to any working arrangement between a farmer and a farmhand. The matchmaking fee is non-refundable once contact details have been revealed, except in cases of platform error.
5. Payments and Escrow
All payments on FarmShed are processed through M-Pesa via our licensed payment partner, IntaSend. For agronomy and equipment jobs, payments are held in escrow by FarmShed until the job is completed and the farmer confirms the work. This protects both the farmer and the Provider. The farmhand matchmaking fee described in section 4.1 is not held in escrow, as it pays for the connection service itself.
As explained in section 4, IntaSend's processing fees (a collection fee on the amount paid in, and a flat fee on each payout sent out) are factored into FarmShed's commission rates. These fees are set by IntaSend, not by FarmShed, and are subject to change.
In the event of a dispute, FarmShed reserves the right to mediate and decide on the release of funds based on evidence provided by both parties.
6. Verification
FarmShed reviews the identity and documents of every Provider and farmhand before they appear as verified on the platform. Submission of false or forged documents will result in immediate account suspension and possible legal action.
7. Conduct on the Platform
All users — farmers, Providers and farmhands — must communicate respectfully and act in good faith. The following are strictly prohibited:
- Fraud, misrepresentation, or impersonation
- Attempting to circumvent FarmShed payments to avoid the commission or matchmaking fee
- Harassment, threats, or abusive language in chat
- Posting fake reviews or manipulating ratings
- Sharing personal contact information solely to take transactions off-platform
Violations may result in suspension or permanent ban without refund.
8. Disputes
If a dispute arises between a farmer and a Provider or farmhand, both parties should first attempt to resolve it through the in-app chat. If unresolved, either party may contact support@farmshed.app. FarmShed will review the case and may release, refund, or split the funds as appropriate.
9. Privacy and Data
FarmShed collects only the data necessary to verify users and operate the platform. We do not sell user data. Verification documents (IDs, certificates, good-conduct certificates and chief's letters) are stored securely and accessed only by authorized FarmShed administrators. For full details, please read our Privacy Policy.
10. Liability
FarmShed acts as a marketplace facilitator and connection service. We are not responsible for the quality of work performed by Providers or farmhands, for the conduct of any user off the platform, or for losses caused by misinformation supplied by farmers. For agronomy and equipment jobs, we hold funds in escrow to give both parties a fair chance to resolve issues.
11. Changes to These Terms
FarmShed reserves the right to update these Terms & Conditions. Users will be notified of significant changes via email. Continued use of the platform after updates constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.
12. Contact Us
For questions or concerns about these Terms:
- Email: support@farmshed.app
- Phone: +254 745 783 342
- Location: Lower Kabete, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya