Israeli fertilizer manufacture ICL has signed a deal with Namibia-based LLNP for a new, large-scale phosphates and mining project in Namibia — the latest in a slew of nutrient deals in Africa, Agrimoney reports.

Many farmers in sub-Saharan Africa rely on manure rather than expensive chemical fertilizers but the organic alternative cannot meet the demand, TheGuardian reported. Import and transport fees push up the cost of chemical fertilizers manufactured abroad. Demand is expected to grow in Africa for cheap chemical fertilizer.

ICL said it expects to produce chemicals at competitive cost at a planned new pilot plant on Namibia’s Atlantic coast near a marine mining operation.

“The cost of extracting the phosphate is anticipated to be very competitive compared to competitors, which, in turn, is expected to enable downstream production to deliver best cost of goods,” ICL said in a statement.

Israel Chemicals Ltd., also known as ICL, is a multinational manufacturing company listed on the New York and Tel Aviv stock exchanges that develops, produces and markets fertilizers, metals and specialty chemicals, Reuters reports.

ICL says it is the leading provider of pure phosphoric acid. It is the world’s sixth largest potash producer and produces about a third of the world’s bromine.

The company’s sales in 2014 totaled $6.1 billion with 14,000 people employed worldwide.

Namibia-based LLNP is owned by investment company the Leviev Group, which is headed by Lev Avnerovich Leviev, an Uzbekistan-born Israeli billionaire, philanthropist and investor who has a net worth of $1.5 billion as of March 2013 and ties to Vladimir Putin.

Leviev may be better known for diamonds than for fertilizer.

Nicknamed the “King of Diamonds,” Leviev owns diamond operations in Angola, South Africa and Botswana and high-end diamond jewelry boutiques in New York, London, Dubai and Singapore, Forbes reported. Leviev is also controlling shareholder of Africa Israel Investments, a real estate and construction company with headquarters in Israel.

LLNP has permits and exploration rights to phosphate deposits estimated at around 1 billion tonnes, according to a press release.

The company plans to explore the feasibility of a phosphates and downstream production business in Namibia that will create capacity for fertilizer-grade phosphoric acid, white phosphoric acid, bulk fertilizers, and specialty fertilizers.

Over the next several months, ICL and LLNP will finalize the technology development they need to produce phosphate downstream products from marine deposits, including establishing a local industrial pilot plant.

The plant will be strategically located on Namibia’s Atlantic shore close to a marine mining site, providing logistical advantages to markets in North and South America and competitive freight rates to East Africa, ICL said in a prepared statement. An adjacent port will be used to export goods and import raw materials needed for production. The plant will also be close to a railway line serving high-demand areas in Southern and West Africa.

LLNP has technological knowledge of maritime mining in Namibia, ICL said.

ICL recently formed a phosphate joint venture with Yunnan Yuntianhua,China’s leading phosphate company.

Namibia is “one of Africa’s most stable, liberal and democratic countries and known for its moderate political climate and strong interest in attracting foreign investment,” said ICL CEO Nissim Adar.

The ICL-LLNP announcement marks the latest in a slew of African fertilizer deals.

Norwegian nitrates group Yara International this month announced African transactions, BusinessStandard reported. Yara agreed to acquire Greenbelt Fertilizers, which operates in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, for $51 million. Greenbelt owns three plants that produce blended fertilizer products.

Yara saw continued fertilize demand in Zambia and neighboring countries, citing the rapid expansion of the agricultural sector, and low current rates of fertilizer application.

Also this month, Yara sold 25 percent of its shares in business in Dallol — Northeastern Ethiopia’s Danakil depression — for $51.25 million as the business moves closer to starting potash extraction. The business aims to begin mining by 2018. Yara retains a controlling stake in the business.

Yara said that a feasibility study in the region confirmed reserves and the technical viability for an annual production of 600,000 metric tonnes of potash over a 23-year period.

In November, African Potash, a mineral exploration company, announced a deal with the South African investment firm Beryl Holdings, MotleyFool reported.

African Potash will take over operational control of Beryl’s main fertilizer trading activities in Southern and Eastern Africa. Beryl will restructure its fertilizer trading into a newly-formed Mauritian company. Shares in African potash jumped by 19 percent on the news.