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.

Vietnam's animal husbandry programme began in 2003, as part of a cooperative agreement between the governments of Vietnam and the Netherlands. It was utilised by 27,000 households in 24 cities and provinces nationwide from 2003 to 2006.

The project’s director Nguyen Thanh Son said it helped to boost economic development, save energy, improve environment, generate jobs and alleviate rural poverty.

European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pottering, UN Goodwill Ambassador Waris Dirie and India's former Environment Minister Maneka Gandhi attended the gala. Vietnamese Ambassador to Belgium Phan Thuy Thanh, who is head of the Vietnamese delegation to the European Union, was also present at the event.