Data on Investigating the resilience of female smallholder livestock farmers to agricultural drought in South Africa's Northern Cape Province

The resilience to agricultural drought of female smallholder livestock farmers in the Northern Cape province of South Africa was examined using the Abbreviated Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (A-WEAI). The A-WEAI consists of the 5DE index (five domains of empowerment) and the GPI (gender parity index). The total population interviewed was 154 participants (61 women in long-term relationships plus their male partners and 32 women who are single, divorced, or widowed). Researchers and policymakers can use the dataset to identify critical areas that need to be addressed to enhance women's empowerment in agriculture, which will increase their resilience to climate extremes such as agricultural drought.