Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 02/Sep 05:23

Silent crisis in our gardens

THE EDITOR: My 5.55 am and 6.15 pm alarms once reminded me to pause for the simple joys of life waiting expectantly for the glow of sunrise and sunset. Those quiet moments of prayer, scripture, sharing photos and inspiring messages with loved ones gave me peace. The chirping and tweeting of the wide array of birds now fade into the background. Today, those same hours are consumed by an unending nightmare: collecting hundreds of invasive African snails that have overtaken my garden. As an avid gardener, the joy of tending to my plants has been replaced by exhaustion and despair. My sunflowers, once symbols of beauty and hope are eaten away before they can mature. This infestation began when overgrown bushes on the empty property beside mine became a breeding ground. When it rains, hundreds crawl out from beneath the shrubs, spreading into my yard. Armed with boots, grabbers, three buckets, and bleach, I spend two and a half hours each day in this battle. What once gave me satisfaction,even hearing the hiss as they met their end , now leaves me drained. Snails feast on my avocados, pimentos, and calabash, stripping me of harvests I once enjoyed. This is more than a nuisance. It is a public health and food safety concern. If snails are overrunning home gardens, what is happening on farms? How many of the fruits and vegetables reaching our markets and supermarkets are touched by these creatures? Who is monitoring? Are farmers receiving guidance on proper disposal? And what of the citizens who, like me, are forced into this costly and exhausting routine? I spend money every two weeks on six to eight bottles of bleach, now increased in price. How many others are silently carrying this burden, while their mental health suffers? This plague is real. It is not just eating plants, it is eating away at joy, peace of mind, and resilience. Many are simply too tired to keep fighting, and that is a reflection of the wider fatigue in our society. The government must take urgent, practical steps to help households and farmers. We cannot face this alone. Until then, I will keep rising with the alarm, not to meet the sunrise or sunset, but to face the plague of snails that has stolen what once gave me peace. S RAMKISSOON San Fernando The post Silent crisis in our gardens appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.