The objective of this article is to critically analyze the concept of resilience and propose complementary elements for its strengthening, particularly for its study in agroecological systems facing climate change and variability. Five main points are explored to achieve a critical comprehension of resilience: causality; change and uncertainty; multiple scales; diversity and the capacity to transform. Resilience is not an adaptation to biophysical factors, nor to inequal and unjust socio-economic conditions, on the contrary, resilience implies collective action conscious of multiple scales of transformation of agroecosystems and even of the predominant social system. We conclude that resilience to climate change is not a neutral concept, it is strongly related to issues of power and inequality, linked to the economic and political context in which agroecosystems unfold. Since there is no consensus in society on the ways to respond to climate change and variability, it is necessary to consider who defines resilience, for what purpose and according to what interests.