Keep sagebrush in the garden? Desert shrubs and hydraulic lift

I want to expand my food garden into an area that has a cluster of sagebrush plants. These shrubs are thriving in a little island surrounded by sand close to my very productive garden. Today, I read this article about a shift in farming practice in Senegal where farmers are keeping shrubs with deep taproots rather than clearing them from their fields:
Farmers in Senegal learn to respect a scruffy shrub that gets no respect
According to the latest research, keeping the shrubs encourages “hydraulic lift” and the water brought to the surface hydrates the field crops. Anyone using this kind of strategy with shrubs? Shall I keep the sagebrush?

The hydraulic lift might be something to consider.

I would keep the sagebrush for other reasons. Depending on the variety of this shrub it might have some medicinal value and offer some shade to other plants.

I have read in some of Louis Lamour's books that it can be made into a tea.

Some species of Artemisia are used in medicine for headaches, fevers, coughs, colds, and the flu. It is also used to cure various digestive and other internal ailments.

This research is astonishing to me! I always thought that sagebrush (Artemisia filifolia) were competing for water and cleared them out of the food production gardens (they are abundant in other areas of the yard). The nearby sagebrush could explain why the garden next to the shrubs is so much more productive compared to areas where I've cleared the sage.
Seeing is believing: the plot in the article with the shrubs is remarkably more productive:
"Millet grown in conjunction with Guiera senegalensis (left) towers over millet grown without shrubs interspersed among the stalks in this agricultural research field outside Thiès, Senegal. Research shows that planting Guiera senegalensis shrubs in farmers' fields can increase crop yields as the shrubs' roots help pull water deep in the soil closer to the surface."
Nick Roll, NPR

Unless someone has contrary info, my new strategy involves heavily pruning the sand sage but keeping the plants in the food production garden.

We have kept saltbush up around our garden beds, great habitat for birds, builds soil, blocks wind and adds to midday/afternoon shade, which is huge in the summer. Haven’t interplanted, though - I guess I’ll try not pulling young plants when they self seed - or at least not all of them.

The concept is a little like a food forest, but with desert scrub & shrub instead of trees.

Just be sure you check to see if the plants are compatible.  As I remember and a quick google search shows sage brush is aleopathic with some stuff.

It's definitely hauling up water and minerals from deep underground, which should improve the upper parts of the soil. And a lot of critters browse on it when there isn't a whole lot else to eat in the late winter. It attracts wildlife and it smells nice - what's not to like? Sounds like a "farmer's shrub" .