About Agariya

AGARIYA word has come from Gujarati word “Agar” meaning “Salt farm”. Thus Agariya meaning, those who do salt farming. Agariyas are engaged in salt farming traditionally over 600 years. Agariyas is socially recognized as “Chunvaliya Koli” “Miyana” “Sandhi” community all of them fall into De-notified tribe (NTDNT) category. There are 40 Nomadic and 12 de-notified tribes in Gujarat, together identified as NT-DNT. Out of these 12 de-notified tribes 3 are traditionally make salt. Their occupational identity as AGARIYA is more popular.

Life of Agariya

Agariya family reside in their native Place during Monsoon and migrate to salt farms for rest part of the year, i.e. for 8 months. In Gujarat salt is made along the coast using sea water and also in Little Rann of Kutch using sub-soil brine. Coastal sal tis called as “Sea Salt” locally known as “karkacch salt” where in in Little Rann of Kutch Agariyas make crystal salt called “Vadagaru” or “Poda” .

Economic condition of Agariyas is very poor. Majority of them are landless. As they reside in far away places for most part of the year, they are left out from many welfare schemes like housing, social security.

Every time they migrate to salt farms, they make small hut for prepare salt pan. during rains salt pan made during previous years are washed away. Thus their life starts afresh every season. Due to harsh climatic conditions in salt farms they have to suffer with several health issues. Agariyas have to struggle for basic services like water supply, road, electricity, health services etc because the areas in which they farm salt are usually not part of any village.

Agariya community have very limited access to formal credit system. Thus their salt farming activity totally depends on the advance amount taken from the trader, which also compells them to sale their salt at low price. The price that Agariya gets for 1 kg of salt is 25 to 30 paisa. They do not have access to infrastructure used for value addition and market. Plus Agariyas have to bear all risks (natural and human made calamity) as their crop (salt) is not insured under any scheme.