Main activity is defined as the activity which occupies the majority of the time spent on agricultural work carried out for the holding, and secondary activity is defined as the remaining activities.

Other gainful activities may:

- be directly related to the holding, carried out either on the holding itself, such as tourism, handicraft, processing of agricultural products or forestry, or off the holding, such as agricultural and non-agricultural contractual work.
- not be related to the holding and carried out on the holding itself (non-agricultural work on the holding) or off the holding, such as working in a bank or teaching.

Other gainful activities directly related to the holding

These are activities in which either the resources of the agricultural holding (area, buildings, machinery, etc.) or its products are used.

These include both non-agricultural work and agricultural work carried out for other agricultural holdings.

The types of activities included are:
- Provision of health, social or educational services.
- Tourism, accommodation and other leisure activities.
- Handicraft.
- Processing of agricultural products.
- Production of renewable energy.
- Wood processing.
- Aquaculture.
- Contractual work using the holding’s means of production (agricultural or non-agricultural work).
- Forestry.
- Other gainful activities not mentioned above.

Excludes:
- Purely financial investments.
- Renting out land for various activities without being further involved in these activities.
- Commercial activity located on the holding, but not linked to any agricultural activity (for example, a hairdresser, an insurance company).
- Renting out agricultural machinery that is not used on the holding.
- Shops where no own products are sold.
- Hunting activities.

The main aim of investigating these variables is to ascertain the importance of additional activities to agricultural activity, in relation to the holding’s turnover and labour force, for each of the employment categories analysed.

Other gainful activities not directly related to the holding

Refers to non-agricultural work carried out on and off the holding. Includes all remunerated activities other than agricultural work on the holding and other gainful activities of the holder directly related to the holding.