## 5 Conclusions and Future Research  
Overall, the study highlights the importance of addressing the barriers that hinder farmers' ability to manage drought effectively. To support small-holder cattle farmers in vulnerable communities in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, interventions are needed to increase access to resources, financial support, and technical assistance. Additionally, there is a need for increased education and awareness-raising efforts to build farmers' knowledge of effective drought management strategies. By addressing these barriers, small-scalefarmers can improve their resilience to climate change and ensure the sustainability of their production systems. This study identified key research questions and directions that can further deepen our understanding of farmers' perceptions and willingness to tackle drought-related issues in small-holder cattle production systems. Specifically, we will consider the following aspects for future research:  
1. In-depth exploration of cultural and contextual factors: We encourage researchers to investigate the influence of cultural and contextual factors on farmers' knowledge and understanding of drought management strategies. This can provide insights into the sociocultural dynamics that shape farmers' decision-making processes and their adoption of drought mitigation measures. 2. Longitudinal studies: Conducting longitudinal studies to assess the long-term effectiveness of different drought mitigation strategies and interventions can provide valuable information on their sustainability and impact over time. This can help identify best practices and inform the development of evidence-based policies and programs. 3. Comparative analysis: Comparing the experiences and outcomes of farmers in different regions or communities facing similar drought challenges can help identify contextual factors that contribute to varying levels of resilience and adaptive capacity. This comparative analysis can shed light on effective strategies that can be shared and replicated across different contexts. 4. Economic analysis: Incorporating an economic analysis into future research can provide insights into the cost-effectiveness and financial feasibility of different drought management strategies. Evaluating the economic benefits and returns on investment of these strategies can assist policymakers and farmers in making informed decisions and prioritizing resource allocation. 5. Participatory approaches: Encouraging studies that adopt participatory approaches, involving farmers as active participants and co-designers of interventions, can lead to more contextually relevant and sustainable solutions. Participatory research can empower farmers, enhance their ownership of the interventions, and improve the overall success of drought mitigation efforts. Conceptualization, M.S., L.Z. and I.F.J. ; methodology, M.S. and L.Z. ; data curation, M.S. ; writing--original draft preparation, M.S. ; writing--review and editing, M.S., L.Z. and I.F.J. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Financial support received from the National Research Foundation, grant number TS64 (UID: 99787) is acknowledged. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of University of Fort Hare (JAJ051 SMPO01 (17 November 2022). Informed Consent Statement: Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. The data presented in this study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author. Financial support received from the National Research Foundation, grant number TS64 (UID: 99787), is acknowledged. The authors are grateful to the Risk and Vulnerability Science Centre and Department of Livestock and Pasture Science for assisting in research logistics and cattle farmers in Tsomo and Centane who participated in the study. Deepest gratitude is given to enumerators for their help during data collection. The authors declare no conflict of interest.