Cultivated biodiversity is a key element to preserve sustainable agroecosystems, and it has to be approached from both an ecological and social perspective. Both elements undergo a co-evolution to deliver a wide range of agricultural systems that are adapted to local conditions. However, technical, economic, social and political factors have eroded the diversity within agroecosystems. Therefore, the issue of conservation cannot only be technical, but social and political components and their complex interactions must be taken into account. Without them, there is a risk of taking a reductionist perspective regarding agrodiversity conservation that would not bring about the integrated solutions that are needed. Preserving agrobiodiversity means to embrace knowledge diversity and knowledge co-creation to integrate economic, social and environmental aspects of food systems: it means to embrace agroecology.