Francine has worked for 15 years across the African continent, advising  parliamentarians, regional economic commissions, public institutions and farmers organisations on food, agriculture, land, climate change, gender equality and regional integration. She co-founded the Shamba Centre to help raise the political commitment to ending hunger and closing the gender gap, while providing a voice and space for vulnerable communities in decision-making.

Before co-founding the Shamba Centre, Francine was a Senior Policy Advisor and Partnerships Lead at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). She managed capacity building programmes for the Pan African Parliament and served as an adviser to the Africa Forum (an organisation of former African Heads of State) on regional integration. She also participated in the creation of the Ecowas Network of Parliamentarians on Gender Equality and Investments in Agriculture and Food Security, which aims to improve food security and nutrition in West Africa.