What they heck does that mean???
They're growing more vegetables. Plant cells don't grow in a vacuum, IIRC.
Increasing crop yields with less water is the goal, correct?
Well they admit that it does that - but it is bad because when the farmer succeeds, the farmer wants to do more of the same, well ya... But that is bad...
The genius researcher can't figure out that if the only water used is the water the plant needs the farmer doesn't need to pull as much from the aquifer in the first place to "replenish" it with. The measure ought to be how much food does the farmer produce with how much water and if that improved efficiency makes up for the added cost. Not all this circular reasoning that if the farmer succeeds at producing more economically he'll use more water...