Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) Kibaha sub-centre, previous known as Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) Kibaha, was established in 1971 under the East African Community. It operated as the East Africa Sugarcane Breeding station because of its vicinity to the Dares Salaam International Airport, being convenient for introduction of sugarcane germplasm, and had good weather and ecology for attaining maximum sugarcane flowering, necessary for breeding. In 1989, Root Crops Research program started as a multi-locational site. From 1994, the centre was mandated to carry out research on root crops for the humid and sub-humid coastal lowlands and central zone. Furthermore, in 1990 the centre started a biological control program following the invasion of Cassava mealybug from neighbouring countries.
In July 2018 Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) was established and ARI-Kibaha became TARI – Kibaha Sub-center with the mandate to conduct, promote and coordinate sugarcane research in the country.