TARI Hombolo, currently known as “Dryland Crops and Climate Resilience Technologies Research Centre” is among 20 research centres under Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI). The centre is located 45 Km from Dodoma city centre, the capital city of Tanzania and 27 Km from Ihumwa junction on Dar es Salaam highway road.

The centre was established in 1970s as an experimental site of the  Ilonga Agricultural Research Centre under the Directorate of Research and Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives. The site was used to evaluate different dryland technologies, including crop varieties and agronomic packages. In 1992, it was upgraded to a sub centre for the central zone research, carrying out research on sorghum and millets until 2018 when TARI was officially operationalized and continued until 2024.

From 2024, the centre was mandated to conduct research for dryland crops and climate resilient technologies ranging from agronomy, breeding, protection, post-harvest management (processing, value addition and utilization), natural resource and engineering and its socio-economics. Among other important centre obligations aretechnology transfer and technology promotion activities; capacity building and seed production activities.

In achieving success of its mandates, TARI Hombolo is collaborating with National and International institutions and partners such as SUA, NM-AIST, IITA, ICRISAT, CIMMYT, IFPRI, ASARECA, and others. Also, it collaborates closely with local partners and NGOs such as Lead Foundation, DCT, INADES Formation, Rikoto, CMSR, WORLD Vision, and international organizations such as WFP, FAO and others in implementation of its mandate.

Currently, the centre is conducting research to develop technologies in various nodes in crop commodity value chain such as variety development, agronomy packages, pest control, post-harvesting and value addition with the focus areas on dryland cereals, legumes, roots and tubers and oilseed crops. Also. the centre conducts Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) researches and promote technologies for mitigation and adaptation of the effects of climate change.