The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has called for stronger collaboration between traditional institutions and government intervention agencies to promote food security, wealth creation and national development.

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of SMEDAN, Mr Charles Odii, made the call in a keynote address at the 2026 Ulefunta Annual Lecture in Akure, Ondo State.

The lecture was titled, “Food Security, Wealth Creation and National Development: Building Strategic Partnerships Between Traditional Institutions and Intervention Agencies.”

Odii said government policies and intervention programmes developed without adequate community input often failed to address the realities and needs of people at the grassroots.

He said traditional rulers and community leaders possessed valuable knowledge of their communities, including their customs, land use, economic potential and specific challenges, which should be incorporated into development planning.

Odii said SMEDAN had launched its Community Enterprise Development Programme to deepen the involvement of traditional rulers and community leaders in enterprise development.

He said the programme was designed to ensure that traditional institutions participated from the beginning to the end of development projects, rather than being consulted after major decisions had already been taken.

According to him, traditional institutions could help government agencies mobilise farmers, artisans, women and youths, identify viable economic opportunities and promote community ownership of development programmes.

Odii also called for agriculture to move beyond subsistence farming through greater investment in the entire value chain, including processing, packaging, logistics, technology and marketing.

The Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, said the programme would help bridge the gap between traditional institutions and government intervention agencies.

The monarch said the initiative would expose rural dwellers, farmers and young entrepreneurs to available funding and other development opportunities, adding that traditional institutions could serve as a link between intervention agencies and people at the grassroots.

Earlier, the Chairman of the 2026 Ulefunta Festival Committee, Olu Adekunle Ajanaku, said the colloquium was organised to sensitise rural dwellers, farmers and young entrepreneurs to government funding and development opportunities.

He said the festival had continued to attract attention through its promotion of the cultural values, social life and aspirations of the people.