Urban heat island mitigation through urban farming using remote sensing in Maiduguri Nigeria

Urban heat islands (UHI) present critical challenges to urban environments, intensifying heat-related health risks and reducing livability. This study evaluates the potential of urban farming to mitigate UHI effects in Maiduguri, Nigeria, by analyzing changes in land surface temperature (LST), land use/land cover (LULC), and vegetation cover over a 30- year period (1992_2022). Landsat satellite imagery processed through ArcGIS and Google Earth Engine was validated using ground truth observations collected with a Garmin eTrex 10 GPS device and supplemented by long-term climatic data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET). ENVI-met microclimate simulations quantified the impact of urban farming on surface temperature and humidity. Results show significant urban expansion accompanied by decreased vegetation, driving higher LST values and intensifying UHI impacts. By 2022, LST peaked at 32.98_C, with UHI intensity rising steadily throughout the study period. ENVI-met simulations indicate that increasing urban farming coverage leads to notable cooling effects and improved vegetation health, with a 0.5_C temperature reduction and a 2.0% humidity increase observed at 10% urban farming coverage. A survey of 400 residents revealed limited awareness of UHI but strong recognition of urban farming_s benefits for food security and environmental sustainability. These findings underscore urban farming as an effective, nature-based strategy for UHI mitigation and advocate for its integration into urban planning to foster resilient, sustainable cities in rapidly urbanizing and arid regions such as Maiduguri.