Production and distribution of rice is one of the important sources of income for the country.

Rice is consumed by
over 40% of Indonesia's population because in Indonesia rice is the staple food.
Consumption of rice from year to year increased rapidly for example from tahun1968 the amount of
consumption of 110kg increased in 1983 of 146kg. there are several things that trigger the increase in rice,
namely the increase in per capita consumption, population increase and economic improvement that encourage
shifting diet from non-rice to rice.
In 1992-1996 rice consumption was about 150kg per capita and there was little penurunun due to the monetary crisis
that occurred in 1998. Currently the rate of rice increase is 50% of population growth rate. In the process of rice
milling to be rice yielded several results:
1) Rice husk (15-20%)
2) Bran / bran (8-12%) ie epidermis
3) Giving (± 5%) that is part of rice that destroyed
Utilization of the results are still limited, there is even a waste and pollute the environment, especially in the
production center of the factory during the rainy season harvest season.
These results can be a useful and economic value if properly managed so as to increase the added value in rural
agroindustry system. Some of the results will be discussed in this article.
A. Rice husk as an alternative energy source
Waste is waste or production or waste of agricultural processing. The process of destruction lasts so long that it can
affect the environment and human health. On the rice mill will be many in meet the pile of husks that the longer the
higher. Currently the utilization of rice husk is very little so it can affect the environment
Rice husk is a hard layer that includes a carioidis consisting of two hemispheres called lemma and palea that are
interlocked. In rice husk milling process will be separated and become limba. Chaffs can be categorized as biomass
that can be used for various needs such as industrial raw materials, animal feed and energy or fuel sources.
From the process of grinding rice husk to get 20-30%. The use of chaff energy aims to minimize the cost
of disbursing fuel for household farmers. The increasing use of fuel costs has an effect on the low-class
economy. Viewed from the chemical composition data, the husk contains some important chemical
elements according to experts:
The chemical composition of rice husks according to Suharno (1979), includes:
1) Water content 9.02%
2) Crude protein 3.03%
3) Fat 1.18%
4) Rough fiber 35.68%
5) Ash 17.17%
6) Basic carbohydrate 33.71%
The chemical composition of rice husks according to DTC-ITB, include:
1) Carbon (charcoal) 1.33%
2) Hydrogen 1.54%
3) Oxygen 33.64%
4) Silica 16.98%
With the chaff composition as above, the husk can be worn for various purposes, namely:
1) As raw material for chemical industry
2) As raw material for the food industry
3) As a source of heat energy in everyday human needs
Chaff has a density of 1.125kg / m3, with a calorific value of 1kg. according to Houston (1972) husk has a bulk
density of 0.100g / ml, calorific value between 3300-3600k. calorie / kg husk with 0.271 BTU heat conductivity.

To further facilitate the use of rice husk, then the husk needs to be compacted into a simpler and more
practical form. The shape of the husk is charcoal husk or charcoal husk briquettes. Chaff charcoal can be
used as an unfertilized fuel with high enough calories. Chaff charcoal briquettes have more benefits than
charcoal charcoal in addition to being environmentally friendly fuels and as a temapat for the growth of
horticultural crops, especially flower plants.
B. the benefits of husk ash

Chaff ash has a function to bind heavy metals. In addition, the husk also functions in fertilizing the soil
that can facilitate plant roots in absor there are two types of husks in use for ornamental plants that are first
charred 50% for planting media or mixed, both of which 100% charred is good for media or mixture and also bauk
for seedlings, more sterile and moisture matter when making do not need to pay attention , but when applying it to
the plant do not get so muddy.
bing nutrients in it. Rice husk can be mixed with compost in order to be a good fertilize. Benefits in using
chaff that is burned is sterile, shaft, many nutrients, light to mobilization but the price is expensive, because the
manufacturing process takes a long time and fuel a lot.
And also as an organic material and is a compost for the soil. Organic materials serve to improve soil
properties and help bind elements of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the soil so that the ground
does not run anywhere, because kalua these elements are not there then the plants will lack. The content
of nutrients in the husk is not as much as artificial fertilizer, so for the best use is by mixing the compost and
artificial fertilizer with the intensity in accordance with the needs of the soil.
It turns out that the ash of this husk is very rich in silica (SI) which in its oxide is known as silica dioxide.
Remarkably silica that from rice husk ash is not inferior to silica fume which is quite high price. But now
the growth of rice crops in this day has been changed with the growth of concrete and brick, so the effort
in developing the business in silica ash husk will increasingly become bleak.

conclusion

It can be concluded that rice husk ash is very potential to be used in the geoktenik field especially for soil
improvement. With a little touch of science and technology in the process of combustion and
manufacture, the resulting silica content dapt reach above 90%. From note, 19995-2001, rice husk
production in Indonesia is bias mencapi 4 million tons per year. This can be of value to the pars of rice
farmers, if they know the benefits. And there are many more benefits of rice husk that can be used with
unlimited creativity, and sustained research.