Community Resilience to Climate Change: Theory, Research and Practice

18 as a “politically neutral approach” [9] (p. 134). The influence of stakeholders’ agendas and power relationships are often overseen by practitioners [8,14]. Although these dimensions of the PSP have been discussed for a long time in the literature regarding problem structuring methods (PSMs), their implications for the resilience analysis are still unexplored. This paper contributes to closing these gaps by discussing the political and social implications of resilience ambiguity in the PSP. To this purpose, this paper looks at the PSP of a modelling-based analysis of food security resilience to climate change. This case is used to discuss some of the cognitive and political challenges of resilience. This discussion is informed by the personal construct theory [15] and enriched by a post-normal science epistemology [16] for managing a wide range of perspectives. The aim of this discussion is to reflect on (a) the implications of having a diversity of resilience interpretations in the PSP and (b) the potential avenues to mediate stakeholder engagement and mitigate the challenges this diversity entails. 2. CASE STUDY: ANALYSING THE RESILIENCE OF FOOD SECURITY TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN GUATEMALA This research was conducted within the qualitative paradigm of case study research [17,18] and is part of an independent modelling- based discussion for the analysis of and planning for food security resilience to climate change in Guatemala. Specifically, this case study describes the PSP followed to define the scope of the resilience analysis undertaken in the district of Huehuetenango. As part of this PSP, the author conducted a series of semi-structured interviews among relevant stakeholders in the local maize production system. 2.1. Background Guatemala, similar to other developing countries, faces food security challenges that will only increase as climate change affects small- scale farmers’ capabilities to produce food. Guatemala’s chronic malnutrition, an accepted measure of food insecurity, is one of the highest in the world [19], reaching 55% in rural areas [20]. Climate change effects, such as severe droughts and increased average temperatures, already compromise the food production in Guatemala, especially among small-scale farmers [21]. Recognising this as problematic, some studies that explore potential means to mitigate climate change effects have been commenced separately by academics, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and the local and central government in Guatemala. This research is part of these initiatives, independently conducted by the author with the cooperation of numerous stakeholders in the district of Huehuetenango. Huehuetenango is located in the Northwest region of Guatemala, on the border with the South of Mexico. Huehuetenango is one of the poorest, most vulnerable districts in Guatemala. In 2014, its population was estimated at 1,150,000 people, with 67.6% of these people under the line of poverty [22]. Huehuetenango’s main economic activities are the mining industry of silver and gold and the production of coffee [23]. Nevertheless, the production of maize is an important activity for self-consumption. The majority of the population is indigenous, from the ethnics of Mam and Quechi, with a cultural dependence on maize as the main source of calories. Among indigenous groups, maize represents a 71.2% of share in basic grains consumption). 2.2. Methodology The intention of the study was to discuss potential policies to enhance food security resilience and to explore in an operational manner the impacts of these policies on different parts of the system. The author, with the support of two academics from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (national university in Guatemala), started by identifying (mapping) and engaging relevant stakeholders as early as possible and throughout the PSP. The following stakeholder groups accepted the invitation to participate in the PSP: (i) the central government; (ii) NGOs; (iii) farmers from Huehuetenango and (iv) academics and agronomists from the University. The number of delegates from each group and their backgrounds are presented in Table 1. Table 1. Stakeholders’ group representatives.