ATOME, the AIM-listed low-carbon fertiliser developer, has taken a decisive step towards funding its flagship Villeta project in Paraguay, signing definitive agreements for a $420mn debt package that brings the development to the cusp of financial close.

The 15-year facility, backed by a syndicate of international lenders including development finance institutions, is partly provided on concessional terms, lowering the overall cost of capital and reflecting the project’s alignment with sustainability and food security objectives. The debt commitments remain conditional on finalising the associated equity package, which the company expects to complete in the near term, after which construction can proceed.

Taken together, the agreements mark a critical de-risking milestone, positioning Atome to advance what it describes as a large-scale, low-carbon fertiliser plant with strong underlying economics and strategic relevance to regional agricultural markets.