Agriculture, man’s oldest profession which used to be Nigeria’s Chief foreign exchange earner, has been neglected over the years because of the discovery of oil. This factor has led to the disappearance of most mineral resources in the country like the groundnut pyramind of the north, the cocoa sacks of the west nad the palm oil drums of the East.

Not only, the hard currency accruing from agricultural export gone but the population which continued to grow without a corresponding increasing in agricultural production has outstripped the available food supply, hence the need for an urgent solution.

Expert holds that over 90 percent of the rural populace are engaged in farming, but these people have little or no access to credit facilities because they lack the requisite collateral to back up such loan. 

As it should be farmers need money to meet various out-lays for seasonal agricultural production, for development of land, understanding such allied activities and also to tide over liquidity shortage during the time intervening the sowing and harvesting of crops.

Inorder to provide enough food their for perceived labourers, the early farmers have to marry many wives who in turn produce many children.

Prior to 1970’s the Nigerian economy was self reliant on food production, the nation was exporting some of her farm produce. But after the Nigeria Civil War in 1970, government embarked on the post War Reconstruction Programmes. The oil industry was re-activated for foreign earnings. That was the period of the oil boom.

The period also experienced a massive rural urban migration especially by youths. And the youths wre the active labour force and Agriculatural subsectors as at that period. This movement, therefore affected agricultural production negative. Consequently, Nigeria adopted importation of foods such as rice wheat etc. to satisfy the increasing demand on food by her citizens. Agriculture, therefore lost its position as the nations major foreign exchange.

It has to be noted that agricultural programmes can not just improve agricultural production without finance. 

This is where commercial bank has an important role to play. If the agriculture is adequately financed, the farmers will embark on mechanized system of agriculture which will eventually as a result contribute immensely to restore agriculture to its better position, and consequently, will become another stronger means of foreign exchange earning for the country.