Food systems transformation is the new idea for food security policy for sub-Sahara Africa, in which inclusion, demand-driven innovation and participation are mentioned as key words. However, inclusion of (indigenous) knowledge and farmer innovation are absent in most food security strategies. Instead, technology transfer and commercialization are promoted as key to food production and poverty reduction. In this Chapter, based on field work in rural West Africa, we explore the case of two food systems in Mali, one (i) based on transfer of technology to increase crop production; the other (ii) based on indigenous knowledge and local practices. It shows how two approaches can co-exist and be combined and merged with existing practices, without dismissing or substituting what is already in place. The study also reveals the advantages of human-centered, context-aware approaches, in which the complex interplay between local practices and contextual factors are considered, and local food sovereignty is achieved.