Question Statement:
Read the following statement:
"Studies demonstrate that while drip irrigation substantially enhances crop yield per unit volume of water applied at the field boundary, regional groundwater levels in basins adopting drip systems have continued to decline at rates identical to or higher than before. This phenomenon occurs because farmers use the saved water to expand acreage under irrigation or cultivate higher-margin, water-intensive perennial orchards, thereby increasing net basin evapotranspiration."
Which of the following best summarizes the paradox described in the passage?
Options:
- (A) Irrigation equipment failure leading to unaccounted water leakages
- (B) Micro-level resource conservation efficiency paradoxically increasing macro-level aggregate resource consumption
- (C) Groundwater recharge exceeding aquifer discharge during dry seasons
- (D) The inability of farmers to cultivate high-value cash crops using modern equipment