Gloria PenThink about a land with plenty of oil but empty markets. The roads shine with fuel trucks, but children are hungry. Now picture another land with no oil wells, yet farms stretch far and wide. There’s fresh food on every table, and young people have jobs close to home.
Now, ask yourself, which country will stand longer?
This post is more than just a debate. It’s a wake-up call for our generation. We’ll look at 11 powerful reasons why agriculture is better than crude oil, especially for countries like Nigeria. You’ll see why farming is the real gold, and how oil while shiny is not enough.
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Now let’s see the reason why Agriculture is better than Crude oil
11 Reasons Why Agriculture is better than Crude oil.
Without wasting much of your time, here are 11 powerful points to why Agriculture is better than Crude oil.
Remember this is a debate post, so the points here do not in anyway disregard the important of Agriculture or farming.
1. Food is Life, Oil is Not
The first reason why Agriculture is better than Crude oil is this, Agriculture gives us food. Without food, no one survives. Oil may power machines and cars, but it can’t fill your stomach. Every single person needs food daily, but not everyone needs oil.
Even during war or lockdowns, people still need to eat. That’s why food is more important than oil. Farming feeds the nation, while oil fuels cars and factories. Which one do you think matters more? Your guess is as good as mine.
2. Jobs for Millions, Not Just a Few
Agriculture creates more jobs than the oil sector. In Nigeria, millions of people work on farms, from planting cassava to selling tomatoes in markets.
Compare that to crude oil where only a few people work, most of them in offices or on offshore rigs. Oil needs machines. Farming needs human hands. That’s why agriculture is better than Crude oil because it reduces unemployment.
I met Aisha, a young lady from Kano. After NYSC, she searched for office jobs without luck. Her uncle gave her a small piece of land. She started growing onions. Today, Aisha owns 4 hectares, employs 10 workers, and trains other women. She now feeds her family and others.
She once wanted a bank job but now, she’s proud to be a farmer. That’s the power of agriculture.
3. Supports Local Businesses
Farming is like a chain. One farm supports many businesses, seed sellers, transporters, market women, food processors, exporters, and lots more.
Oil, on the other hand, is capital-heavy. You need billions and foreign companies to even get started. But with farming, a little land and hard work can get you going. Agriculture grows the local economy from the ground up.
4. Oil Can Dry Up, Soil Stays Forever
Another reason why Agriculture is better than Crude oil is the fact that Crude oil is a non-renewable resource. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Countries like Venezuela and Libya have suffered badly from depending only on oil.
But land doesn’t finish. With good care, a farm can feed people for generations. You can plant today, harvest tomorrow, and still have space for more. The soil is a gift that keeps giving.
5. Less Harmful to the Environment
Oil spills ruin rivers. Gas flaring pollutes the air. Crude oil operations destroy forests and make the land useless.
Farming, when done right, helps the earth. Trees are planted, soil is enriched, and the air stays clean. Agriculture teaches people to take care of nature, not destroy it.
6. Better for Rural Development
Also, you can believe with me that Oil riches often stay in cities or end up overseas. But agriculture builds up rural areas.
When people farm, they stay in villages. Schools open, clinics are built, roads are fixed. Farmers don’t need to travel to Abuja or Lagos before they can produce food for the nation. They grow and sell from their hometowns. This reduces overpopulation in big cities and makes villages stronger.
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7. Farming Builds Peace, Oil Fuels Conflict
To be honest with you agriculture is far more better than Crude oil, oil has caused many problems. In places like the Niger Delta, oil has led to fights, kidnappings, and pollution.
Agriculture, on the other hand, brings peace. When young people are busy with farming, they are not tempted by crime. Everyone eats from the same harvest, and no one feels left out.
8. Farming Keeps Us Healthy
What we eat shapes how we live. Agriculture provides fresh, natural food, vegetables, grains, fruits, and meats.
But when a country depends only on oil, it imports food. Imported foods are often frozen, processed, and full of chemicals. Farming gives us clean, healthy meals straight from the land.
Good food means fewer hospital visits. That’s another reason why agriculture is better than Crude oil. In fact, overall, agriculture wins in many ways.
9. It Encourages Innovation and Growth
Many people think farming is old-fashioned. That’s not true.
Today, young people use apps to check weather, drones to monitor crops, and machines to plant seeds faster. Farming is now tech-driven. It welcomes ideas, from smart irrigation to organic farming.
Oil depends on fixed machines and foreign engineers. But agriculture grows with the people. It allows anyone to create something new.
10. More Reliable During Global Crisis
When oil prices crash, countries suffer. We’ve seen it many times especially in Nigeria. One minute oil is $100 per barrel. The next minute it’s $30. That’s risky.
But food never loses value. During COVID-19, people rushed for food, not oil. Countries that could feed themselves did better than those that couldn’t. Food remains important no matter what happens in the world, that’s why Agriculture is better than Crude oil.
11. It Makes a Country Truly Independent
Just think about this, if a country has oil but no farms, it must import food. That means it depends on other countries to feed its people.
But if a country grows enough food, it can survive even without oil. Agriculture is very important because it makes a country strong from within. It means fewer imports, more exports, and better control over its future.
Real independence comes when you can feed yourself.
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Conclusion
Oil may bring quick cash, but it doesn’t last. It can dry up. It can destroy the land. It can even divide people.
But agriculture builds nations quietly, steadily, and deeply. It feeds mouths, creates jobs, and brings peace to communities. It teaches responsibility, patience, and care for the earth.
As Nigerians, we’ve seen both sides. We’ve danced with oil wealth and felt its crash. It’s time to plant a better future literally.
Imagine a Nigeria where every youth is empowered through farming.
Every village has its own food supply.
Every home has fresh food and income.
That future is possible. Not with oil rigs but with hoe, seed, and sunshine.
So next time someone asks, “Why agriculture is better than crude oil?”, from the points listed here, I believe you’ll know what to say.
And maybe, just maybe, you’ll decide to plant something too.
Thanks for reading .
If this post taught you something new to think about, share it with someone. Let’s grow the change one reader at a time.
Gloria Pen