Sometimes I begin to ponder on how the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria has impacted the Agricultural sector in Nigeria, then I ask the question if the impact is positive or Negative? This issues can be traced back to the first discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri,in the Niger Delta region in 1956 by Shell. Before the discovery of crude oil, Agriculture was the mainstay of the nation's economy, where Nigeria is one of the major exporters of palm oil, cocoa and rubber; but since the discovery of crude oil, Agriculture has taken the backstage while crude oil has taken the centerstage and become the mainstay of the nation's economy. This discovery has its advantages and disadvantages which I am going to highlight here.
The oil industry is now the highest contributor to the revenue of the country, which makes it the backbone of the nations economy. It has improved the nation's GDP and foreign exchange earnings. It has also attracted foreign investors and also boost the nation's economy. The wealth generated from crude oil has also helped in the improvement of infrastructure, social services and basic amenities for the citizens. we can also say that it created job opportunities to an extent.
On the other hand the discovery of crude oil has also increased the rate of corruption amongst the politicians, because the politicians are all bent on making themselves wealthier on the oil revenue that is meant to improve the well being of its citizens, and have run the nation into debt, despite the huge revenue generated from the oil sector.
The discovery has also led to oil theft, conflicts and violence mainly in the Niger Delta region. It also very important to mention how the oil spillage and gas flaring has affected the environment, causing environmental pollution in the Niger Delta region, this has lead to the pollution of water bodies in the region and also affect the soil, which in turn has reduced agricultural product in the region.
It has also led to rural-urban migration, which has also affected Agriculture, because most people has relocated to the urbanized cities in search of job in oil sector and other private enterprise and has abandoned farming, which has led to scarcity of food in the nation.
Its also very important to note that before the discovery of crude oil in 1956, the Agricultural sector contributes to about 50% of the nation's GDP, which has dropped to less than 25% now.
In conclusion it can be said that oil provided more government revenue, but it has killed the development of the Agricultural sector in the nation, through the oil spillage and gas flaring which has affected the water bodies and soil that are needed for Agriculture.
It can also be said that it had made the government abandoned Agriculture and focus all their energy on the oil sector, which in turn has affected the growth and development of Agriculture in the nation.
This is just my take on the impact of the discovery of crude oil and how it has affected the development of Agriculture in Nigeria. What's your take?
Before the discovery of oil in oloibiri in Bayelsa State the agricultural sector in Nigeria blossom and there was what was called school to land where labourer were hired and after cultivating and working for the day they get paid and the prices of food was literally cheap because we had food in abundance but since oil came to lime light the government focused on drilling and exporting oil and forgot what gave us relevance in the 40s.
We understand that oil produces more revenue to the government but at the same time is a destruction on the environment and the farmers suffer greatly from water and air pollution and this affects the soil in terms of soil fertility, even in the state of our abundance in crude oil we are still back ways as our refineries are not working and the government will export the crude oil to foreign country and they will refine it and have a bargain on it for something that would have been done in Nigeria, I can't say crude oil is a curse it's the government that has diverted their attention from agriculture and it now looks as if it's a curse, if the government diversify the economy and empower farmers to key into agriculture and the level of poverty and high increase in food prices will reduce.
