Summary

Benchmarking is defined as a systematic process for achieving continued improvement in the irrigation sector through comparisons with relevant and achievable internal or external goals, norms, and standards.  The three aspects of benchmarking are: evaluation of technical indicators (both internal and external); appraisal of the system processes; and an evaluation of service to users and their satisfaction with that service.  The authors have incorporated all three components into a training program in which project staff learn the concepts of modernization and then evaluate their own project in a systematic Rapid Appraisal Process (RAP).  This paper will present the concepts of the RAP.