We know the oil market is booming and countries with oil resources are really making a huge fund out of it and sometimes they do it at the negligence of another local natural resource.
But, of course, the agricultural sector, though not given the proper recognition and the required investment is one sector that contributes seriously to the development and dependence of most nations .
No matter how blessed a country is with oil minerals, if its agricultural sector isn't working and she has to rely on other country for her food and agricultural resources then in event of war or political differences they might suffer.
Agriculture vs oil, which is the big deal when it comes to the economic strength of a country?
You pose a false dichotomy, especially since agriculture today is highly dependent on oil. Fields are tilled with power tillers or tractors, grass is cleared with weed cutters, many crops are mechanized, like modern olive harvesting which is picked by machine, many fertilizers are derived from oil, etc. Without oil, agriculture would not have even 20% of its current productivity.
Seems, both of you, probably unintentionally, missed that oil and agriculture can't work at its best without scientists, including chemists, physicists and engineers. In order to have qualified personnel, you have to run great universities and do scientific researches. So, what's the best economical strength? Agriculture, Oil or Education? Then there is a manpower, no one wants to work in agriculture or in oil, also, it's very hard and requires talent/willingness to become a scientist. So, we have four power/advantage right now instead of only oil and agriculture. Every country lacks at least one of them, so, as you see, economic strength of each country still depends on other countries.
Probably, right now, the most advantage has Norway when it comes to all of these four. According to food safety index, they are number 3, according to oil reserves, they have plenty for themselves and export it in another countries, then comes education, they are highly educated and have great universities and manpower, they are vikings!
USA has plenty of oil food labor and scientists
China has plenty of coal food labor and scientists.
They are possibly the top two in the world 🌎.
Russia has fuel food labor and scientists.
They are likely number three.