The literature on the water–energy–food nexus has repeatedly signaled the need for transdisciplinary approaches capable of weaving the plurality of knowledge bodies involved in the governance of different resources. To fill this gap, Quantitative Story-Telling (QST) has been proposed as a science for adaptive governance approach that aims at fostering pluralistic and reflexive research processes to overcome narrow framings of water, energy, and food policies as independent domains. Yet, there are few practical applications of QST and most run on a pan-European scale. In this paper, we apply the theory of QST through a practical case study regarding non-conventional water sources as an innovation for water and agricultural governance in the Canary Islands. We present the methods mixed to mobilize different types of knowledge and analyze interconnections between water, energy, and food supply. First, we map and interview relevant knowledge holders to elicit narratives about the current and future roles of alternative water resources in the arid Canarian context. Second, we run a quantitative diagnosis of nexus interconnections related to the use of these resources for irrigation. This analysis provides feedback to the narratives in terms of constraints and uncertainties that might hamper the expectations posed on this innovation. Thirdly, the mixed analysis is used as fuel for discussion in participatory narrative assessment workshops. Our experimental QST process succeeded in co-creating new knowledge regarding the water–energy–food nexus while addressing some relational and epistemological uncertainties in the development of alternative water resources. Yet, the extent to which mainstream socio-technical imaginaries surrounding this innovation were transformed was rather limited. We conclude that the potential of QST within sustainability place-based research resides on its capacity to: (a) bridge different sources of knowledge, including local knowledge; (b) combine both qualitative and quantitative information regarding the sustainable use of local resources, and (c) co-create narratives on desirable and viable socio-technical pathways. Open questions remain as to how to effectively mobilize radically diverse knowledge systems in complex analytical exercises where everyone feels safe to participate.

关于水-能源-食物关系的文献反复表明，需要跨学科的方法来编织涉及不同资源治理的多种知识体系。为了填补这一空白，已经提出了定量故事讲述（QST）作为适应性治理方法的科学，旨在促进多元化和反思性的研究过程，以克服水，能源和食品政策作为独立领域的狭窄框架。但是，QST的实际应用很少，并且大多数都在泛欧洲范围内运行。在本文中，我们通过关于非常规水资源作为加纳利群岛水资源和农业治理创新的实际案例研究，将QST理论应用到实践中。我们提出了混合使用的方法，以动员不同类型的知识，并分析水，能源和粮食供应之间的相互关系。首先，我们绘制地图并采访相关的知识持有者，以得出关于干旱的加那利语背景下替代水资源的当前和未来作用的叙述。其次，我们对与使用这些资源进行灌溉有关的联系的相互关系进行定量诊断。这种分析可以限制和不确定性的方式为叙述提供反馈，这些约束和不确定性可能会阻碍对这项创新的期望。第三，混合分析被用作参与性叙事评估研讨会的讨论依据。我们的实验性QST过程成功地共同创造了有关水-能源-食物关系的新知识，同时解决了替代水资源开发中的一些关系和认识论上的不确定性。但是，围绕这一创新的主流社会技术想象力在多大程度上得到了改变。我们得出结论，QST在可持续性基于地点的研究中的潜力在于其能力：（a）桥接不同的知识来源，包括本地知识；（b）结合有关可持续利用本地资源的定性和定量信息，以及（c）共同创建关于理想和可行的社会技术途径的叙述。