This is one of the world's prestigious environmental prizes presented to Vietnam's biogas project for animal husbandry.

The biogas for animal husbandry programme, part of a cooperative agreement between the governments of Vietnam and the Netherlands, helped build 27,000 household-based biogas units in 24 cities and provinces nationwide between 2003 and 2006.

Biogas units convert animal waste into fuel that is immediately useable for cooking, heating, lighting and generating electricity.

According to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat, the project has helped boost rural development and deal with environmental pollution issues, thus improving the living conditions of rural people.

The awards, handed out to 10 projects from around the world, were selected from a short list of over 700 entries and were presented at a special gala event at the European Parliament in Brussels, on April 11.