Africa's top agricultural exporters face a surprising paradox. Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Kenya earn billions selling cocoa, tea, and cashews to global markets - yet spend 45-66% of those earnings importing wheat, rice, and dairy. These countries allocated their best land to high-value export crops, creating structural food import dependency. When commodity prices crash or food prices spike, the model breaks down. Climate change intensifies the risk.

Côte d'Ivoire dominates global agricultural exports: 45% of cocoa, 40% of cashews, $7-9.8 billion in sales. Yet Ivorians earn just $197 monthly, less than half what Kenyans make. The paradox? Foreign multinationals control processing, repatriating profits abroad. Kenya's farmer-owned cooperatives keep value local. This analysis reveals why agricultural success doesn't translate to household income, and what ownership structures mean for food affordability across Africa.

Africa's retail market will reach $2.5 trillion by 2030, yet 90% of transactions flow through informal channels. Opening a physical storefront means paying costs 2-5x higher than the US while competing against 2.5 million shops with lower overhead and deeper community ties. The survival rate? Only 10% make it past a decade. Meanwhile, B2B digital platforms connecting suppliers to informal retailers are achieving profitability and scale. Before signing that retail lease, under